Robin van Persie has indicated that he has no intention of signing his proposed new contract at Arsenal in the immediate future as he waits to see which of his suitors will make official offers for him.
Manchester City and Juventus are prominent among that group and sources at each club say their information is that Van Persie will not agree to fresh terms at the Emirates Stadium under any circumstances, increasing the likelihood of his departure this summer.
The striker opened negotiations with the Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, and the club's chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, in London on Wednesday and it was never likely that the meeting would end with Van Persie's signature on the new deal, which would pay him £130,000 a week, plus a £5m re-signing bonus. Van Persie's contract has a little over 12 months to run.
Arsenal maintain there is plenty of time for Van Persie to reflect and commit his remaining peak years to them and they also have the option of holding him for one final season, even if that policy would risk them losing a hugely saleable asset for nothing as a free agent next summer.