Robin van Persie insists he is not about to walk out on The Gunners and intends to honour his current contract with the club.
Various press reports had suggested the Holland international was disatisfied with his side’s progress on the pitch and was considering a move away from Emirates Stadium.
But in an exclusive interview with Setanta Sports, the forward admitted he was determined to see The Gunners challenging for trophies and would ‘respect’ his contract.
“My aim is not to fight for fourth place,” he told Setanta Sports. “This is what we are involved in now and I accept that. But it is not my aim just to qualify for the Champions League. I want to win the Champions League and I believe we can.
“It is not just that I want to play in the FA Cup, I want to win it and that is what I have always said.
“I am not a guy who gives up easily. I have a contract until 2011 and I will respect that and, about my future, I can’t say much more.”
Arsene Wenger’s side have been hit by injuries to key players over the course of the season, but several of The Gunners absentees are now closing in on returns.
Van Persie recognizes that the January capture of Andrey Arshavin provides a timely boost, but it is the return of club captain Cesc Fabregas that really has him excited.
“The signing of Arshavin is a really good one, while we also have Theo [Walcott] coming back.
“But Cesc is also close to a return. He is really important for us because he controls the game, slowing it down and speeding it up.”
Van Persie was initially labeled a troublemaker as he set out on his career, but the striker feels he has developed both on and off the pitch.
“Everyone develops. I develop, you develop, everyone makes steps in their life, and that’s what I did,” he added.
"I wasn’t really bothered about what people were saying about me when I was 18 and I am still not really bothered.
“I do respect people’s opinions but some opinions about my discipline in the past were from people who didn’t really have a clue about what was going on. I am who I am and I am quite happy with that.”