Arsenal Transfers: 5 Players Wenger Must Buy To Catch City

5. Robin van Persie

The mercurial Gunners Captain will surely be Arsenal€™s most crucial signing of the summer if he decides to stay put. He almost single-handedly dragged Arsenal to a Champion€™s League spot last season, netting 30 league goals to become the Premier League€™s top scorer. He won the Premier league Golden Boot, PFA Player€™s Player of the Year, PFA Fan€™s Player of the Year and many more individual honours in the last season alone. He is considered to be among the world€™s most elite players and one of the most lethal strikers on the planet. This astonishing form has led to interest from clubs around the world, and with van Persie in his prime years as a top striker; a desperate scramble for his services has ensued this summer. Manchester City, Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid have all shown interest in the Dutchman, while Arsenal are desperately trying to convince him to sign a new contract at the Emirates. The Gunners have offered him improved terms which would make him the highest-paid player in the club€™s 125 year history; however €˜RVP€™ is still undecided as to what the future holds for him. Currently, van Persie is holidaying in the Caribbean with his family after a very disappointing Euro 2012 campaign with the Netherlands on a personal and team level. He is expected to return to London in a few weeks to resume discussions with Arsene Wenger regarding his future at the club. Wenger has so far expressed public confidence in Arsenal managing to keep van Persie; even jokingly promising an Italian journalist an ice cream if van Persie signs for Juventus. The player€™s father has ruled out a move to Premier League rivals Manchester City; and van Persie€™s wife has stated that she enjoys life in London as well as explicitly stating that she wishes for him to stay at Arsenal, a club who she says supported them in €˜lean times€™. Robin van Persie€™s signature is still far from certain however, but if he were to stay it would signal serious intent on the part of Arsenal as genuine title contenders. If van Persie signs, it would mean that Arsenal are not a selling club, but a club with genuine championship ambitions which is able to hold on to their prized assets as well as bringing in fresh blood. Finally, what better way to catch up to Manchester City than to sign their no.1 transfer target this summer?