Exclusive: Arsenal heading for a new deal with Van Persie

Robin Van Persie will be offered a new contract aimed at keeping him at Arsenal for the next five years.

The Holland international has just two years left on his current deal and the Gunners are determined to seal his long-term future rather than leave him with just 12 months left on his deal at the end of the season. And it seems agreement is close.

Van Persie, 25, is advised by his father Rob and a lawyer and they have been negotiating with manager Arsene Wenger.

And Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood believes the escalating wage bill at The Emirates proves that the club are willing to pay top dollar to keep their best players.

Financial results for the year ending May 31 show Arsenal paid out more than £100m in salaries for Wenger, his coaching staff and the players - an increase of more than £10m on the previous year.

It has long been thought that a strict wage structure at Arsenal has prevented them from attracting the stars and cost them the services of the likes of Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini.

But Hill-Wood insisted: "If you look at the figures that just isn't true. Chelsea have a much bigger wage bill but we are on a par with Manchester United. We are not that mean."

And he made it clear that with their sound financial footing, Arsenal are determined to hang on to prize assets such as Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and new England hero Theo Walcott.

"We are able to resist any offers," said Hill-Wood. "For us to sell our best players doesn't make any financial sense to us. If someone gives us £100m for a player we immediately lose 40 per cent of that in tax. Then what do you do with the £60m that's left? I would rather have two good players already at the club. We will resist any approaches for our star players."

Arsenal will pursue their policy of keeping their club in the same ownership. The appointment of American Stan Kroenke to the board should give them the power base to see off the threat of wealthy Uzbek Alisher Usmanov.

And in a parting shot at former vice-chairman David Dein, Hill-Wood said: "I am not sad he left. He didn't do quite as much as he made out.

"He has the impression he was the only person running the place.

He has good qualities and he did some good things but we haven't really missed him."