Robin van Persie in No Rush to Sign Contract Extension with Arsenal

Arsenal captain Robin van Persie’s contract expires in 2013, but that has not stopped the club from approaching his representatives about a contract extension. The Dutch striker is Arsenal's prized asset, and it fears losing him for a free or reduced-price transfer in the next 12 to 18 months, according to the Daily Mirror.

Van Persie joined Arsenal in July of 2004 from Dutch club Feyenoord Rotterdam and has been a key player for the London club over the past seven years. He scored his 100th goal for the club in Saturday's 3-0 win over Bolton.

After the game he discussed his contract situation. He said, "I'm happy with my contract, I'm good. That's how it is, I can't say much more. I can't look into the future.  The main thing for me is the team and that we play well. I do believe you have to look for a right moment to sit down and speak about your own stuff. It's not only about me, it’s about the team.  I can't say we are talking now because we are so busy -– we have games every three or four days."

Losing van Persie would be a serious blow to the club, which saw Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri defect for greener pastures in the last transfer window. The psychological hit of losing three established stars in less than a year would undoubtedly demoralize players and supporters alike.

However, it would not be a fatal blow to manager Arsene Wegner's project. Van Persie is the club's star striker, but has missed significant parts of nearly every season due to injuries.

In a statement on the club's website, Wenger refused to enter into speculation about his captain’s future. He said, "On our side we are quite clear so that is no problem. I do not say there is no problem because it does not depend only on us but we are clear with our intention. 

"After that you have to respect that he has nearly two years to go so let's not make an immediate issue of something like that. Two years in football is a very, very long time."