Wenger: No offers for Van Persie

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claims the Premier League club have received no offers for captain Robin van Persie.

Speculation about Van Persie’s future is rife after the Netherlands international announced he will not sign a new deal once his contract at the Emirates expires at the end of the 2012/13 season.

Addressing reporters after the Gunners suffered a 2-0 pre-season defeat to Manchester City on Friday, Wenger was in no mood to discuss his striker’s future.

“The Van Persie case doesn’t cross my mind,” Wenger told reporters. “We have had no offers. He is close to fitness, of course, but we have not had any contact about him at all.

“We will not come back forever on Van Persie, We have many strikers at home. Van Persie is one of them, but we also have (Lukas) Podolski and (Olivier) Giroud.

“For now, we must prepare for the season and it is about more than one player.”

When asked about reported interest from City, Manchester United and Italian giants Juventus for Van Persie’s signature, Wenger hit out at the fervent attention devoted to his star player’s future.

“We have talked about Van Persie,” he said. “We have just played a football game tonight, there are four English people here and there have been four questions about Van Persie.

“I have talked about that, I am not talking about that question anymore. Do you understand?

“If you understand and respect what I said, then why do you ask me again?”