Van Persie happy to give Arsenal his best years

Robin van Persie is more than content to have committed the best years of his career to Arsenal.

The Dutchman, 25, has ended speculation on his future by signing a new, long-term deal which is reported to be worth some £80,000 a week.

Much like captain Cesc Fabregas, van Persie has often talked of the need for Arsenal to now turn their potential into silverware.

When the Dutchman arrived five years ago, the Gunners were the team to beat and after making his debut in the FA Community Shield win over Manchester United, van Persie was part of the victorious 2005 FA Cup side - the last trophy secured under manager Arsene Wenger.

Despite their recent barren return, van Persie is convinced Arsenal - who reached the 2006 Champions League final - are a club heading in the right direction and had no qualms about where his future should lay.

"If you look at other players who can make a difference, their best years are always from about 25 to 30,'' van Persie told Arsenal's website. "I really had a good thought about what I wanted to do, and when you play for Arsenal, you always have other options, but my heart is with Arsenal.

"I have given my best years [so far] to Arsenal, and this is how I want it, to give my best years from now to Arsenal.

"Lots of people have given me so much love from this club, and for me, it is like a small thing I have to do to pay them back.''

Van Persie - the Gunners' leading scorer last season with 20 goals from 44 appearances - is set to join up with the rest of the Arsenal squad, some of whom have already returned to pre-season training, next week.

So determined was the Dutch striker to complete the paperwork ahead of the new season that he did so while on holiday in Cannes.

Van Persie added: "One of the main reasons I signed was to lift a big trophy. I do not want to do it with a different team. I want to lift it with Arsenal. That is now my main target and it would make me so proud to do it.''

Manager Arsene Wenger is no doubt just what van Persie can achieve.

"We have already seen many times what Robin is capable of on a football pitch, but at only 25, there is still much more to come from him,'' said Wenger. "Robin has the potential to become a true Arsenal great.''

So far, Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen is the only addition is what is understood to be a £10million deal from Ajax.

It remains to be seen whether Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor - a target for AC Milan will stay at Arsenal - and the Gunners may have missed out on Fiorentina midfielder Felipe Melo, as reports in Italy claim the Brazilian is now close to agreeing a move to Juventus.

Arsenal's second-biggest stakeholder Alisher Usmanov, meanwhile, still has doubts as to whether the club have enough cash to support Wenger.

The Russian tycoon's proposal for a rights issue of new shares to generate cash for new signings has been rejected by the Gunners' board, after which Usmanov's company Red & White Holdings warned they would keep the situation "under close review''.