English Premier League champions Manchester City and runners-up Manchester United have each submitted £15 million bids for wantaway Arsenal talisman Robin van Persie, the Daily Mail understands.
This news comes just hours after RVP decided not to join his team-mates on the Gunners’ pre-season tour. In addition, Italian giants Juventus, who finished atop the Serie A table last term, are also reportedly interested in signing the Dutchman.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that the Red Devils had made an official approach for RVP after landing in Cape Town during the club’s summer tour.
“Obviously Arsenal have given out the fact that we’ve made a bid for him,” Fergie told MUTV. ”We try to keep business as close as possible to us until the moment we conclude a deal. There’s no point talking about something that might not happen.
“There are other clubs interested in the player. We’ve shown an interest and that’s where we’re at at the moment.”
Despite the Manchester clubs’ bids for RVP, Arsenal are thought to be holding out for a transfer fee of £20 million, not £15 million, for their skipper.
With that said, it looks very likely that the Gunners will lose their ‘Captain Fantastic’ for the second consecutive summer, having lost Cesc Fàbregas to FC Barcelona in August 2011.
Van Persie registered 36 goals and nine assists in 47 matches in all competitions for the Gunners last season.
Subject: City and United make £15m bids for RVP 
Fri Jul 20, 2012 11:57 pm