Manchester United believe they have won the £20million race to sign Robin van Persie.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is confident the Arsenal captain will team up with Wayne Rooney to form a formidable strike-force in a rebuilt side he hopes can win back the title.
Van Persie scored 30 Premier League goals last term to help the Gunners to third in the table, while Rooney struck 27 times for United.
Ferguson is understood to have told footballing friends he believes van Persie will be moving to Old Trafford, despite the interest of money-bags Premier League champions Manchester City and Italian league winners Juventus.
Selling his skipper to Sir Alex would be a huge blow to Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
It would come 12 months after a summer that saw City buy Samir Nasri and Barcelona purchase then-captain Cesc Fabregas.
But Arsenal have little option but to sell - unless they want to lose van Persie for nothing next summer, as the forward has announced he will not sign a new deal.
City are committed to off-loading players before sanctioning more big spending and, despite the champions’ vastly superior financial clout, van Persie is believed to have been most tempted by a move to Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old Holland star was back in training this week after Euro 2012 and with a number of bids already made, Arsenal are keen to decide on his future before leaving on a Far East tour this weekend.
Our Arsenal expert John Cross is back form his well-earned holiday and has given his assessment of the van Persie saga. Click here to read what he had to say.
While Italian daily Corriere dello Sport
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