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Less than two hours after Robin van Persie sensationally announced that he will not renew his Arsenal contract, the club has answered back with a defiant statement of their own.

Earlier this evening Arsenal's club captain and star striker Robin van Persie released a written statement confirming that he will not renew his contract at the side after having had disagreements with the direction in which the club was heading.

However, in the past few minutes Arsenal have responded with a brief but telling statement of their own, which suggests that perhaps the Gunners would rather have the remaining twelve months of the Dutchman's contract run out rather than sell him to suitors such as Premier League rivals Manchester City this summer.

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We have to respect Robin's decision not to renew his contract," begins Arsenal's statement. "Robin has one year to run on his current contract and we are confident that he will fulfil his commitments to the Club.

"We are planning with ambition and confidence for next season with Arsenal's best interests in mind."

Do you think Arsenal will allow RVP's contract to run down and forgo a potential £15-20 million fee for his services this summer? Let us know what you reckon in the comments section below and if you want to see the player's statement from earlier tonight, you can click here.