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Arsenal's anxiety over Robin van Persie's next career move has been reflected by them barring him from talking to the press while on international duty.
The striker travelled to the Netherlands on Thursday to begin his national team's preparations for the Euro 2012 finals but Dutch reporters, who are used to a relaxed relationship with the players, were told that Van Persie was the only one who would not be addressing them.
"We made a deal with Arsenal and he won't talk to the press," said a KNVB spokesman.
Arsenal are fretful that Van Persie, the talismanic captain, will ignore the new contract that they have put in front of him and seek a fresh challenge. The player, who turns 29 in August, is determined to win a trophy and he has gone seven years without one at Arsenal.
He met the Arsenal manager, Arsčne Wenger, and the club's chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, on Wednesday to listen to what they had to say, in terms of money and ambition. Wenger was on record as saying that he wanted to resolve the situation before Van Persie linked up with Holland, partly to help his drive for new signings. He has already signed the striker Lukas Podolski from Köln.
But Van Persie, who has 12 months to run on his contract, has made it clear that he has no intention of re-signing at the moment as he waits for offers to crystallise from his various suitors. Manchester City and Juventus have a firm interest in Van Persie. The PFA and FWA Footballer of the Year would relish an offer from Barcelona.
