Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hit back at the wantaway Robin van Persie and hinted he wants the situation resolved before the new season.
The Dutch striker has made it clear he doesn’t want to re-sign with the Gunners beyond the end of the contract in 2013, as he believes the club lack ambition.
The situation has come to a head with van Persie not part of Arsenal’s pre-season tour to Malaysia, with Wenger intimating he wants the situation resolved as soon as possible.
“The official transfer deadline is August 31 but then we can create an internal deadline,” Wenger said, before adding: “Of course. I believe the transfer market should stop before the season starts anyway.”
Wenger continued: “We are very, very ambitious. You know that. Not only very ambitious, but also very proud of the way we run our club.
“Van Persie is a world-class striker and I am a big supporter of him. I have supported him through his whole career. He has one year left and is in demand but our desire is to keep him.
“However, we will do what is in best interest of the club. If you have a decoder in your head you can decode that.”