Jose Mourinho could try to steal Robin Van Persie

It wasn't all good news for Arsenal fans on Wednesday. Despite beating Leeds 3-1 in their FA Cup third round reply, the Gunners look unlikely to be offloading their misfiring Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner, while Real Madrid are said to be sniffing around Robin Van Persie (above).

First, Bendtner. The 23-year-old Danish striker has spent most of the season thus far plodding round the pitch and he was his usual patchy self in the win against Leeds, the odd flash of skill interspersed with periods where he drifted out of the game.

Rumours began to emerge at the weekend that he might be on his way to West Ham United but alas the player's father has dismissed the stories as scurrilous tittle-tattle. Speaking to Danish rag Ekstrabladet of the West Ham rumour, Thomas Bendtner muttered: "That's not interesting. If Arsenal want to sell and have set a price, then that's up to them... [but] I can only say that this is nothing of interest to us."

What about Van Persie, who would be a real loss to Arsenal? Respected website caughtoffside.com says Real Madrid are sniffing around the Dutchman, who scored Arsenal's third goal against Leeds, with coach Jose Mourinho apparently keen to capture a world-class striker before the end of the month.

Mourinho's need for a frontman stems from the fact that Gonzalo Higuain is out for several weeks after a hernia operation while France strike Karim Benzema continues to struggle for form at the Bernabeu.

According to caughtoffside, Mourinho had been hoping to persuade Carlos Tevez to leave Manchester City for Real, but that's fallen by the wayside so now the ‘Special One' has turned his attention to van Persie. The 27-year-old Dutchman is part of the furniture at Arsenal but if Real were to offer the Gunners £25m for his services – as caughtoffside suggest – perhaps Arsene Wenger would call in the removal men.

Talking of Wenger, the Gunners boss has confessed he's still looking around for a central defender who knows his Arsenal from his elbow, something that couldn't be said of Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny. "It is still nowhere," he told Arsenal TV when asked if he had made any progress in finding a centre-back. "We get many offers but at the moment, nothing concrete."

In other news Anderlecht have said that Manchester City have not signed Romelu Lukaku but that they wouldn't be surprised if they soon do. Talksport quotes a source at the Belgian club as saying: "Romelu stays with Anderlecht for now. City? There is nothing on that yet."

The 17-year-old Lukaku – already capped by Belgian – is rated one of the best young strikers in Europe, attracting interest from City, Chelsea and Real Madrid. But it seems the Sky Blues are at the front of the queue with Talksport saying that if a move doesn't happen in January it will almost certainly occur in the summer.

Finally, Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano has received no concrete offer from Spurs despite rumours to the contrary. The Lilywhites have been linked with the 30-year-old Brazilian since last summer, and the gossip has been growing in recent weeks as Fabiano cuts a forlorn figure in Spain.

Some of the more hysterical newspapers recently reported that Tottenham had offered Sevilla E15m for the South American, but that's news to the player's agent. Talking to Radio Seville, Jose Fuentes said: "Sevilla have said nothing to me. If they [Tottenham] have bid 15 million euros, surely they would have called me? The money would be received with happiness, but they have said nothing to me." ·