Nicklas Bendtner’s father reveals striker wants to leave Arsenal for first-team football

Nicklas Bendtner celebrates his hat-trick against Leyton Orient (Getty)

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Nicklas Bendtner has decided to leave Arsenal this summer in order to find first-team football, according to the player’s father and agent.

The 23-year-old Danish international has featured only intermittently for the Gunners this season as Arsene Wenger’s first choice striker Robin van Persie has enjoyed the best goalscoring season of his injury-ravaged career.

Bendtner has already voiced his frustration at the lack of opportunities at the Emirates on numerous occasions this term, but vowed he would not consider his future until the end of the season.

With Arsenal wrapping up a disappointing Premier League campaign with a 2-2 draw at Fulham on Sunday, the player’s father Thomas, who is also his agent, has revealed his son now feels the time is right to make his decision public.

“Nicklas is 100 per cent open now to a change of clubs,” his father told the Daily Mirror.

“He has made his decision and he has told it to Arsenal. Nicklas needs to be playing from the start so, sadly, he must leave.

“He wanted to finish the season first, so no-one could say he didn’t fight for a first-team place right until the end.”

Bendtner’s announcement is likely to put several clubs in England and Germany on high alert. Aston Villa are thought to be leading the chase, but the player’s father has denied there has been any contact with the midlands club.

“There is real interest from both English and German clubs, and Bayern Munich were after him, earlier. It’s very exciting,” he said.

“But talk about Aston Villa is rubbish. He has not met anyone from there.”