Real Madrid target Robin Van Persie

Robin van Persie is a target for Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants have noted that contract talks between the 28-year-old striker and Arsenal have stalled.

The predatory Real hierarchy are well aware that if Van Persie does not agree a new deal by the end of the season, he’ll have just 12 months left at the ­Emirates before becoming a free agent.

Boss Jose Mourinho has inspired Real to produce some thrilling football as they battle with Barcelona at the summit of La Liga and his side has stormed into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Van Persie has said that he will leave discussions until the end of the season.

He wants to be certain that the Gunners are heading in the right direction, both in terms of success on the field and the quality of signings.

Sources close to Van Persie insist he is open-minded and ­really hopes Arsenal can break their barren trophy-run with him as their on-feld leader.

Van Persie has already been at Arsenal for seven years and can see himself emulating the kind of long-term career that his old hero Dennis Bergkamp enjoyed with the Gunners.

But sentiment will not totally cloud his final decision.

And if contract talks fail, then Arsenal will be tempted to sell rather than lose the Dutchman on a free transfer in 2013.

Manchester City, the biggest spending club in the world, have placed Van Persie at the top of their wish list and they could

offer him a staggering £250,000-a-week. The kind of wages that would overwhelm any Arsenal offer in pure cash terms.

But Real believe that Van ­Persie is unlikely to play for ­another English club — if he ­finally decides to leave the ­Emirates.

Van Persie enjoys iconic status at the club and is captain.

He knows he would break ­Arsenal fans’ hearts by ­oving to a rival English club.

Senior Arsenal ­officials are confident Van ­Persie will extend his stay if manager Arsene Wenger brings in a cluster of high-­profile ­signings, with the capture of Borussia Dortmund’s exciting ­youngster Mario Gotze his ­priority.

But if that master plan fails Van Persie may decide to ­continue his search for major trophies elsewhere.

And that’s why Real are ­waiting in the wings, confident they can offer a new challenge abroad that will suit Van Persie more than anything on offer in England.

Source: Mirror Football