Roberto Mancini rules out Robin van Persie switch

Robin van Persie

Robin van Persie will not be signing for Manchester City, according to their boss Roberto Mancini.

The contract of the Arsenal striker expires next summer, and the Dutchman at the moment isn’t willing to put pen to paper in a new deal, as he announced himself last month.

Reigning Premier League champions City, Manchester United and Juventus have all had bids for the 29-year-old rejected.

Mancini, though, has ruled out a switch for Van Persie to the Eithad this summer, saying: “Van Persie? No, I don't think he will come here.”

Van Persie, who celebrates his birthday today, won both the Professional Footballers’ Association and Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year prizes for the 2011/12 campaign, and found the back of the net 37 times.

He also ended the season as the Premier League’s top scorer with 30 goals, and Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is desperate to keep his talisman and captain at the Emirates.

With the signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud- aimed to take the weight off Van Persie’s shoulders for goals- Wenger is hoping his main man will perform a U-turn on his decision and decide to stay with the Gunners.

Two more signings are looking like being completed for Arsenal as well this week. Spanish international Santi Cazorla is expected to finalise his move to north London this week from Malaga, while Turkish talent Nuri Şahin is set to complete his move from Real Madrid to Arsenal on a season’s long loan, with Wenger looking to have the option of signing the midfield playmaker after the spell.

İsmail Vedat

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