ROBIN van Persie has indicated 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, report DAVID HYTNERand JACOB STEINBERG.

Manchester City and Juventus are prominent among that group and sources at each club say their information is Van Persie will not agree to terms at Arsenal under any circumstances, increasing the likelihood of his exit this summer.

The striker opened negotiations with manager Arsene Wenger and the club’s chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, in London on Wednesday and it was never likely the meeting would end with Van Persie’s signature on the new deal, which would pay him €162,000 a week, plus a €6.2 million 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 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 him for nothing next summer.

Van Persie travelled to the Netherlands yesterday to join his national team for their Euro 2012 preparations. He would favour a move to Barcelona, while Real Madrid may also appeal. It is unclear how he would feel about a move to City, who are prepared to pay him €312,000 a week. Patrick Vieira, City’s football development executive, confirmed his club’s interest in Van Persie yesterday.