Former AC Milan Man Tells Van Persie to Leave Arsenal if he Wants to Win Trophies

Former Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert, who has played for several of the continent's leading clubs including Barcelona and AC Milan, has warned Arsenal captain Robin van Persie he will not win silverware if he remains at the Emirates, according to a Metro report.

"He is a player who is a leader in the strikeforce of Arsenal, a leader in the team, but for Robin it is nice to look forward to another club to win prizes. That is the most important thing," Kluivert was quoted as saying.

"He can't do anything any better with Arsenal. He needs to win big prizes. As a player, you want big prizes and I think if he goes to another club he can achieve that," he added.

The club (and Dutch national team) captain's future at the Emirates has been widely speculated on, with some believing he will leave the Gunners at the end of the season; his contract expires in 2013 and he has yet to sign a new deal with the club. In what could be an indication of his future plans, the striker was seen visiting members of the Barcelona squad when they were in London for their Champions League semi-final clash against Chelsea.

The forward has been the Gunners' main man this season, especially after the departure of former skipper Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona, last summer. The Dutchman has responded with the best form of his career so far, scoring a total of 34 goals in 43 games for the Gunners in all competitions this season. His excellent form has kept all Arsenal and league fans very pleased and is the favourite to be crowned the PFA Player of the Year on Sunday.

His superb run in this season's campaign has attracted interest from quite a few of Europe's bigger clubs, including Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona along with big spending Manchester City, who are all expected to bid for the Dutchman in the forthcoming transfer season this summer.

Some football pundits feel van Persie, who has seen Arsenal win only one trophy (an FA Cup in 2005) since his transfer, may follow the footsteps of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas and exit the Emirates this summer. Others believe van Persie may hang on if Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger signs some significant talent this summer.