Arsenal to sell RVP to Juventus - If they meet the asking price | Vermaelen is new captain

Robin Van Persie will not kick the ball again in an Arsenal shirt. The club has received bids from three clubs: Juventus, Manchester City and Manchester United. Robin favours a move to Italy as he would find it difficult to live with the abuse that will surely be directed at him by the Arsenal fans.

Various media are reporting he won't be joining the clubs pre-season tour of Asia. That much is expected. The club will probably say he's short of fitness and needs to work on that. You can't take a player who's not committed to such a tour. Best plan is always to sell as quickly as you can and re-invest before the season kick-starts.

It will be a travesty to sell him to a domestic rival, thereby strengthening them and indirectly weakening your position. I see him going to Italy. Selling him to Manchester City or United isn't an option, that is why Juventus are in pole position to secure his signature. They will have to stump up close to 20 million pounds for him. Arsenal won't let him go for cheap.

Fernando Llorente of Athletico Bilbao, who's also in the last year of his contract is a possible replacement.

Thomas Vermaelen

 Arsenal.com has been preparing the fans, unofficially, for their new captain. The promo video of Vermaelen as a Chinese Kung Fu master says it all. Robin is conspicuously absent on all new merchandise on feature for the Asia tour.

The club have inquired on the availability of Ibrahim Afellay. Barcelona will sell for 4 million pounds. That is quite cheap for a player of his quality. The club continues to trail Ganso and will watch him today in a warm-up game against GB's Olympic football team. We all know how this one is going to end. Wenger does not pay high for players. I expect Afellay to be the attacking mid that will come in. Ganso? Not so much.

More later...