Llorente Could Move To London Or Manchester!

Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente’s agent has revealed that Premier League clubs are interested in the signature of his client this summer.The 27 year old has attracted attention from a host of clubs across Europe after a terrific season for Bilbao netting 30 goals in all competitions. With a year left in his current contract, Llorente is believed to be interested in a move away in search of regular Champions League football and win trophies. The latest bust up between coach Marcelo Bielsa and the striker seems to have cast a shadow of doubt on his future although the club president has reaffirmed his stance on the player’s unavailability.However the player’s representative, Carlos Arino Bajo, has confirmed that Arsenal and Manchester City are fighting it out for the highly rated...

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Robin van Persie to make Manchester United debut at Everton, says Sir Alex Ferguson, as Arsenal deal agreed

United announced last night that they had agreed a fee with Arsenal for the Holland striker, subject to him settling personal terms and passing a medical, which he will undergo in Manchester today.

Ferguson said: "He's not signed yet, but a fee has been agreed. He is on his way up from London for a medical later this afternoon.

"We hope that goes according to plan. His agent is in discussions with (United chief executive) David Gill right about now.

"We hope all the things will be tied up, although sometimes medicals do take a bit longer. I am sure he will be available for Monday's game."

Ferguson likened his present situation to that which he had in 1999 when Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke scored 53 goals during United's Treble-winning campaign, reinforced by Champions League final heroes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"They (Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie) are two fantastic players and it will be great to have both of them," said Ferguson.

"What it gives us is more strength and combinations up front.

"Going back to the 1999 season we had Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the four best strikers in Europe.

"We are going towards that now with Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney, Robin, Danny Welbeck and Shinji Kagawa.

"It is a fantastic collection of players and hopefully I pick the right combinations

"It is great to have a player of Robin van Persie's qualities to come into the squad. I am very pleased."

Meanwhile Rooney was full of praise for his colleague Tom Cleverley after the 23-year-old impressed for both Team GB at the Olympics and England in their friendly against Italy on Wednesday.

"Tom was fantastic at the Olympics," he said. "He started the season really well last season but unfortunately got injured. He worked hard to get back fit and it's shown now that the Olympics have helped him.

"He looked fit and sharp last night and had a great game for England. That's only going to be good for us and I'm looking forward to getting him back playing."

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Robin van Persie leaving Arsenal for Manchester United cannot distract our campaign, says Thomas Vermaelen

Van Persie is close to finalising a £24 million switch to Premier League rivals Manchester United after signalling his intent to leave Arsenal earlier in the summer when announcing he would not be signing a new deal.

Belgian defender Vermaelen is now likely to inherit the captain's armband and has insisted every player needs to put the disappointment of Van Persie’s exit to one side ahead of their season opener against Sunderland on Saturday.

"He was fantastic for us in the last year, scored lots of goals and I am disappointed he is going, but we have to focus on the next season with Arsenal," Vermaelen told Sky Sports News.

"We have to fight and I am confident we have a squad to win something.

"We start Saturday and this is all clear now, Robin is leaving and we have to move on."

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger insisted the club had no choice but to allow their inspirational skipper to leave the club after he turned down contract terms which would have seen him become the club’s highest paid player ever.

However, he maintains the summer additions Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski will "offset" the loss to the squad, as will the arrival of Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla.

"It is never great to lose players of that quality, but he only had a year contract so we do not have a choice," said Wenger on French TV station TF1.

"We wanted to avoid that at all cost, but we weren't able to. Honestly, I'd have preferred to sell him abroad, to PSG, for example, over Manchester United.

"They have the advantage of having played against him and knowing his great class. He's truly an exceptional player in every sense of the word.

"We have already recruited since we bought (Olivier) Giroud and (Lukas) Podolski who originally were intended to offset the departure of Van Persie."

The Dutch international, who scored 30 goals for Arsenal last season, may not be the only exit from the club this summer with Barcelona interested in a £15 million capture of Cameroon midfielder Alex Song. Russian winger Andrey Arshavin and Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner are also looking for moves.

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What Robin van Persie's move to Manchester United will mean for Arsenal

Wenger did then grudgingly accept that his vision for a young group to grow together, be nurtured together and eventually flourish together, would ultimately be dependent on them sharing his outlook for Arsenal. He was in no doubt, however, that the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Robin Van Persie would all prove themselves to be equally committed. Two years on and we have a rather different answer.

The loyalty of the players was to themselves not Arsenal and, while that might be regrettable, there will also be those queuing up to tell Wenger that he was naive to ever think it could be different.

While Arsenal can argue with some conviction that a fee of £24 million for an injury prone 29-year-old could prove to be an inspired piece of business, the loss of Van Persie is still more damning than past departures. With Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell or even Nicolas Anelka, there was the sense that Arsenal had already had their best years. With Nasri, it was hard to avoid the suspicion it was largely about money. Even with Fabregas, there was his past affiliation with Barcelona.

With Van Persie none of the above necessarily applies. He is at the peak of his powers, Wenger wanted him to stay and he has not gone to a club who are being bankrolled by a billionaire benefactor.

In their adherence to the same self-sustainable principles that Arsenal hold dear, United are their most direct rival. Van Persie has gone primarily because he shares the fear of many supporters that this squad is no longer good enough to win major trophies.

Proving Van Persie wrong now represents the greatest and defining challenge of Wenger’s career.

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Poll: are Manchester United now title favourites after sealing £22m move for Robin van Persie from Arsenal?

Van Persie's arrival is a major coup for Sir Alex Ferguson. The 29-year-old Dutchman had been coveted by Manchester City, whose manager Roberto Mancini spoke in glowing terms about him last week.

And United fans, who over the last few years have become used to seeing all the star names head to City, will certainly be thrilled by the potential of Rooney partnering someone who caused such damage to top flight defences, scoring 30 times in an overall tally of 37 last term, despite Arsenal's obvious inconsistencies.

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Robin van Persie secures £22m move after Manchester United and Arsenal agree on a fee

It is understood that Ferguson’s determination to sign Van Persie convinced the Dutchman that his future lay at Old Trafford, rather than at City, who failed to match Arsenal’s asking price or United’s salary offer.

Van Persie is also believed to have placed high importance on playing for a club steeped in tradition and with a long history of success and United, along with Barcelona, who failed to join the pursuit of the player, were the forward’s favoured options when he announced his decision not to extend his Arsenal contract.

Although Wenger had been determined to retain Van Persie after losing Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in recent seasons, the player’s decision to issue an incendiary statement in July, which questioned the club’s ambition and blueprint for the future, set in motion his exit from the Emirates.

Following a meeting with Wenger and Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, Van Persie said in a statement on the player’s website: “Unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to me that we, in many aspects disagree, on the way Arsenal FC should move forward.

“I’ve thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to extend my contract. You guys, the fans, have of course the right to disagree with my view and decision and I will always respect your opinions.”

After being omitted from Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the Far East to “work on his fitness”, Van Persie was booed by travelling supporters ­during a friendly against Cologne in Germany at the weekend — an episode which accelerated Arsenal’s decision to reopen negotiations with United this week.

Talks resumed between the two clubs on Tuesday and United, who had opened their bidding for Van Persie with an £8 million offer in July, ultimately raised their offer to £15 million, with further payments based on Van Persie’s appearances, goals and silverware won as a United player.

While falling short of the £25 million initially demanded by Arsenal, the North London club claimed last night the deal could ultimately be worth £24 million, although United were adamant it was £22 million.

Van Persie’s signing may also help smooth growing dissent among ­United’s supporters following the recent move by the club’s American owners, the Glazer family, to raise £150 million in a partial share sale on the New York Stock Exchange.

Having had a £30 million bid for Brazilian youngster Lucas Moura accepted by Sao Paulo prior to a late gazumping by Paris St Germain prior to securing Van Persie, United have made their first eye-catching foray into the transfer market since the captures of Nani, Anderson, Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez in the summer of 2007.

The £17 million purchase of Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund and a deal worth up to £6 million for Crewe youngster Nick Powell ensure that United’s spending will break the £40 million barrier with the acquisition of Van Persie, who is expected to make his debut at Everton on Monday evening.

Speaking last week, United forward Wayne Rooney admitted his excitement at the prospect of playing alongside Van Persie.

"He's a fantastic player," Rooney said. "He's been amazing for Arsenal over many years. If he does come here, he would be a great addition to the squad."

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Arsenal and Manchester United making progress over Robin van Persie transfer

United indicated that they were ready to improve their initial bid of around £12 million, which was rejected, and, while the two clubs remain apart in their valuations, they were locked in talks on Tuesday night.

United are understood to be Van Persie’s preferred destination but they are reluctant to spend more than £15 million on someone who is 29 and has a mixed injury record.

Arsenal have made it clear that they want at least £20 million for their captain and star player but there is now a hope that, with add-ons, agreement could be reached on a compromise deal.

Van Persie, meanwhile, has been warned that he can expect to be booed at the Emirates on Saturday if he has not been sold by Arsène Wenger before their Premier League opener against Sunderland.

Although there are doubts about his match fitness, the expectation is that Van Persie will be included in the Arsenal squad if no deal has been completed.

It would be a tense and awkward occasion, however, after Van Persie openly criticised Wenger’s strategy earlier this summer in publicly outlining why he would not sign a new contract.

Samir Nasri played in Arsenal’s first home game of the season in similar circumstances last year but, even though he did eventually join Manchester City, he did not first go public with his desire to leave.

“There will be elements that will boo Robin van Persie at times and the boos do overwhelm everything else,” said Mark Brindle, a spokesman for the Arsenal fans’ group Red Action.

“I think the reaction will be varied and it will be interesting to see what is now said in the captain’s notes in the programme. I think his statement was objectionable.

"I can’t understand people who are disloyal, especially when people have been loyal towards them, but gone are the days when I worry about any one individual player.

"I think most players are mercenaries. If he plays and scores I will cheer because he is scoring a goal for Arsenal.

“If he does go to Manchester United, I’m afraid he will always be seen in the same bracket to most Arsenal fans as Ashley Cole and Samir Nasri. I couldn’t understand his statement.

"He suggests he wants more signings, but who? They have spent this summer on three good players. Does he think we can get Messi?”

Van Persie can expect to more than double his salary at Arsenal if he does move to Manchester United.

Manchester City also retain an interest but Roberto Mancini, the manager, has been told that he must ease the wage bill before signing another striker.

“He’s a great player,” said Vincent Kompany, the Manchester City captain. “He’s proved it so many times last season and any team he would play for he’d make it stronger.”

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Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany hails Arsenal striker Robin van Persie as 'great player'

Roberto Mancini's side have been heavily linked with a move for the 29 year-old although reports today suggest Manchester United are in pole position to sign the Dutch striker.

"It's very easy to say you want to play next to Robin van Persie," said Kompany, the Manchester City captain.

"He's a great player. He's proved it so many times last season and any team he would play for he'd make it stronger."

The Dutchman, whose Arsenal contract expires at the end of the 2012-13 season, announced earlier this summer that he would not renew his deal and was booed by some Arsenal fans during their friendly against Cologne on Sunday.

Team-mate Thomas Vermaelen does not believe the speculation or reception from Arsenal supporters have had a negative effect on the striker, who scored 37 goals last season.

"To me he looks fit and sharp in training," said Vermaelen.

"He's working hard. He's working on his fitness. I don't see anything [different] and I hope he stays the next four years as well.

"I don't know what happens behind the scenes but at the moment I can only say he's a player for Arsenal.

"I feel really positive for the new season. If we all stay fit, the squad is strong enough to compete for the title."

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Manchester City would win Champions League if Robin van Persie joined from Arsenal believes Kolo Toure

City had been linked with the Holland international even before he announced on Wednesday he would not be extending his contract, which has a year to run, with the Gunners.

Having played with him at Arsenal, Toure is well aware of what Van Persie can offer a side and would welcome him at City.

''Robin is a top player. I've played with him, I know him and he's a great man,'' the centre-back is reported as saying by the Manchester Evening News.

''At City we have great players and the club does what it wants in transfers.

''But for me, if Robin comes it's great because I know what he can do.

''You have to build your squad every year to do better; to win the Champions League is very difficult as we have seen.''

In confirming on his website that he would definitely not sign a new deal, then Dutch forward said it had “become clear to me that [myself, Arsène Wenger and chief executive Ivan Gazidis] in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward”.

Van Persie’s statement has been interpreted as a blatant attempt to force a move this summer and, while Arsenal have received no bids or inquiries, the clear suspicion is that he is now actively trying to generate an auction among Europe’s leading clubs.

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