Robin van Persie has put pen to paper on a new contract with Arsenal. The Independent says Van Persie has signed a new deal at Arsenal that will keep him at the Emirates until 2014, allaying fears that he could prompt a mass exodus of the club's top players.

The Dutch international had just one year on his deal left to run but has signed up for an additional four years, making him one of the club's better earners at around £80,000 a week. He follows Theo Walcott in committing himself to Arsène Wenger and is crucial to the Arsenal manager's plans next season.

Van Persie is on holiday in the south of France and will not return for pre-season training until a week on Monday. He had been in contract talks with the club since the new year and, like many of his team-mates, had delayed his decision to sign until he was sure that Arsenal had qualified for the Champions League, which they eventually did by a comfortable margin.