Van Persie to Arsenal?

Pepe LeFrits

http://w3s.rotterdamsdagblad.nl/modules/w3s-merge.phtml?w3s_dbms=msql&w3s_host=w3s.rotterdamsdagblad.nl&w3s_database=rdagblad&w3s_table=artikel&w3s_id=1344&w3s_template=Artikel
http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,40-1132515,00.html

Loose translation of the Dutch article:

Van Persie to Arsenal until 2008

Rotterdam player goes for Bergkamps spot in the long run

Robin van Persie won't go to PSV, but will wear the Arsenal shirt until 2008. The 20 year old Feyenoord attacker has negogiated in secret with the club he's been hoping for since January.

Feyenoord and Arsenal have agreed on financial terms for its biggest talent in the last 10 years.

Van Persie's saw his transfer to Arsenal blocked in January, when the Feyenoord management didn't manage a deal with the Gunners. Feyenoord's asking price was 8 million euro three months ago, now it's about half the amount. Arsenal decided to get Antonio reyes, but Van Persie knew Arsenal would still be following him.

Arsenal scouts kept following the player who was on a sidetrack at Feyenoord. Although he wasn't in Feyenoord's starting lineup any longer, they got more and more convinced of his qualities. This week manager Arsena Wenger gave the signal to get him on board. Frenchman Silvain Wiltord and former Ajax player Nwanko Kanu will be leaving Arsenal. With Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Reyes there would be only 3 strikers for 2 positions

Van Persie will be the addition to that trio, and Wenger thinks he'll eventually take the Bergkamp numer 10 position.

Triumph

This is a big victory for Van Persie, for who there was a lot of interest. Dutch team manager Dick Advocaat refused so far to select him for the Dutch team, while Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk didn't give him a starting place, but Wenger, one of Europe's finest managers, is convinced about his qualities.

The imminent transfer to Arsenal will hit PSV like a bomb shell. They already agreed a sum with Feyenoord and had proposed a deal with Van Persie. Van Persie, however, did not yet agree.

Guus Hiddink didn't give up hope until this weekend that he's choose for PSV to get a lot of play time, but Van Persie thinks Arsenal is a much bigger step in his carreer. For the Feyenoord management this turns out for the better, because now they won't be strenghtening a competitor. Ruud Gullit and Mark Wotte (new coaches) would have preferred to keep Van Persie, but because he refused to renew his contract, they agreed with the sale. By selling him now, they get about 4 million euro for the player they educated themselves. PSV understanded yesterday evening it once again failed to get the player they wanted. They keep failing to get the wanted reenforcements.

Feyenoord will use the Van Persie millions to buy a new foreign central defender.

Further (also translated):

(From Dutch public media 'Omroep Brabant', phone interview)

PSV chairman Harrie van Raaij feels used in the transfer of Robin van Persie to Arsenal. He calls the way the English club did business unashamed and not done. According to Van Raaij, PSV and Van Persie were very close to a deal when suddenly Arsenal appeared. He thinks they stole their player like a thief in the night.

The Eindhoven club saw its last meeting cancelled by Van Persie on Friday. At that moment, he was negotiating with Arsenal.

Normally I don't pay much attention to the rumours (today Van Der Sar and Barthez joined the list of keepers linked to Arsenal recently), but this one seems to carry some weight. Arsenal have been tracking RvP for quite a while, and reportedly made a bid in January before Feyenoord upped the price and made the deal public which pissed off Wenger and sent him into Reyes's arms. Since then, RvP has said publicly how disappointed he was at having his move to Arsenal fall apart and has dropped out of the Feyenoord XI as he refuses to sign a new contract, threatening to walk away for nothing at the end of next season.

Wenger re summer spending on Skysports.com:

"We will not be big spenders, we have spent our big money for Reyes. The major spending has been done," insisted the Frenchman.

"Maybe we can spend £2m or £3m on players twice, but we have youngsters coming through and there is space for them.

"We feel we have an idea who is coming, and if there is a good opportunity, we will take one more striker."

The exact RvP figure going round is £3.75m, and...

"We have David Bentley, who will go on loan somewhere to play,"

Given Arsenal's past interest in the player, his desire to play for Arsenal, his rapidly diminishing market value for Feyenoord, and the persistent rumours around him, i reckon this one is a goer. Word from Holland is that the signing will be officially announced in the next day or two after the EPL win has dropped out of the news a bit. Given the last time I posted about a report from Holland about a certain young dutch player signing for Chelsea, it happened, so i'm optimistic...

If he's anything like his billing, he'll be an exciting one to watch. Highly rated by Johann Cryuff, he's apparently similar to a combination of Bergkamp and Figo. rrrrr

JippoKelly

I've seen him play in quite a few matches for Holland U21s/Youths. He looked like a decent prospect. Still a raw talent though, and whether he becomes half the player Bergkamp was at his peak remains to be seen.

Pepe LeFrits

http://teletekst.nos.nl/gif/664-02.html

Anyone speak Dutch?

Big Ears

I think Arejen Robben ( Chelsea's young dutch signing ) is a better player .

Now let me see ddutch footballs 3 best clubs :ajax , psv , feynoord .
English footballs 3 best clubs : arsenal , chelsea , man united .
Dutch footballs 3 most talented prospects : Robben(chelsea) , Persie(arsenal) , Van Der Vart(man united ) .

Thats right man united to sign van der vart .

Well it may not be true , but i bet the media will report about it anyway .

johnor

How much you reckon Wenger has got to spend?? I think this is defo a done deal from what I've read.

Lets sayhe sells the following: Jeffers(3 mil max?), Kanu(2/3 max?), Wiltord(free), Lehmann??(under 1?), Gio still around?, Keown got much left??.


Heard Rumors Ljunberg could be interested in a move to Madrid?? Considering it looks like Figo is on his way, is this a posibility??


Ive heard wenger say he wants pennant to be playing there next season. Does that mean Parlor is done??, remember he has Bently on his way up aswell....I think he needs to get a solid keeper in, if he wants to challenge in europe, Lehmann isn't doing himself any favours with his moaning to ref's, I think arsenal could have won the double or possibly even the treble this season had they bought a solid keeper rather than himself. I know he has preformed ok in terms of shots stopped and conceded, just think he has looked dodgy by times & he aint a long term solution. In terms of who he buys in: VanPersie(4 mil), Keeper(Niemi?(7/8 mil??), Frey?(8+??))

What do arsenal fans think??

NightStrike

Wouldn't be surprised, all the top Dutch players leave home. Have to say though Holland has been a great feeder country for many years now.

Big Ears

Well im not an Arsenal support, but i am an admirer and i say they should get Seba Frey

Pepe LeFrits

Keown will retire, Barcelona want GVB, Jeffers will be offloaded for 1-2 mill, and Kanu and Wiltord will go on a free (assuming someone is signed, which I reckon will happen). I don't think Wenger is happy with Lehmann either but I suspect he may keep him for one more season. If he doesn't, Frey might be a good choice as Parma are in trouble financially. I've heard he's a bit error prone too though.

Figo to Arsenal? lol nah, he's too old, doesn't fit Wengers signing's profile. By the time he'd be integrated into the team he'd be off again. Ljungberg leaving might not be all that unlikely, but it'd presumeably mean someone else was coming in too (neither Wiltord / Parlour are as good on the right side and Pennant / Van Persie would lack experience).

Parlour is a very useful squad player and i'd be shocked (and disappointed) if he sold him, I can't see it happening. He's the best pressing/combatitive midfielder Arsenal have after Vieira, he always gives 100% and he's very popular.

// EDIT - Skysports have continued to follow the RvP news: http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,1-1132660,00.html

johnor

I wasnt suggesting Figo to Arsenal, just that Ljungberg could be his replacement at real. So with the players you think will be off-loaded this season, Arsenal can recoup?? 4-5 mil?? Will that be enough to sign VanPierse and Frey without selling Parlour(1/2mi) or Ljungberg(8/10mil) ???

vorbis

as an arsenal fan, van Persie's actions kind of worry me. I think its a bad sign if he's gone on sulk like this at his club. Sounds very like Scott Parker. Players like that will hardly be too worried about the club. He could end up being a good one day bad the next kind of player.

eirebhoy

Both Celtic and Rangers are after van Persie too...

Pacifico

Originally posted by eirebhoy
Both Celtic and Rangers are after van Persie too...

Looks like he's on his way to Arsenal so....:p

Pepe LeFrits

Robin van Persie is set to make a decision over his future by Thursday - and Arsenal are favourites to land the Feyenoord winger.
The 20-year-old is expected to sign a £2.3m four-year deal with the Gunners.

However, Feyenoord spokesman Fred Blankemeijer said: "We do not know yet where he will be going and cannot say.

"We have no details to reveal at the minute but we should know within the next couple of days and we will be making an announcement."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3659835.stm

Oh, and roffle at this:

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is planning an astonishing £35m summer swoop for Chelsea defender John Terry and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. (The Sun)

Arsene Wenger will also try to sign Liverpool's Michael Owen for £12m. (The Mirror)

LOL

Pacifico

Originally posted by kaids
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3659835.stm

Oh, and roffle at this:

LOL

Wouldn't you love if it was true though! Gerrard and vieira in midfield!!!:eek: