• Premier League

Bendtner fine seals Arsenal exit

Nicklas Bendtner was allegedly involved in a drunken altercation with a taxi driver in Copenhagen © Getty Images

Enlarge

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Nicklas Bendtner will be fined for his unsanctioned trip to Copenhagen and effectively approved the striker's departure at the end of the season.

Arsenal are investigating claims that Bendtner drunkenly threatened a taxi driver in his native city on Tuesday. Danish newspaper BT alleged the striker "ran amok" in Copenhagen while his Arsenal team-mates were in Germany being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

Wenger said he could not comment on the actions, as he had not yet spoken to Bendtner, but revealed his player would be disciplined because the club had not given him permission to travel.

Bendtner, 26, has endured a turbulent career at Arsenal, with Wenger loaning him out to Birmingham, Sunderland and Juventus during his decade at the club.

He was close to leaving for good last summer but moves to Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace failed to materialise with Bendtner recently complaining that his unfair reputation as a "psychopath" was harming his career.

"Honestly I don't know really what happened because I haven't spoken to him," Wenger said of the striker who has made clear his wish to move on. "The only thing that is for sure is he had nothing to do in Copenhagen.

"Nobody gave him any permission to go to Copenhagen and he will be fined for that. For the rest, he has created some trouble there I don't know, I will speak to him."

When asked whether it is the "final straw", Wenger merely responded: "He is at the end of his contract at the end of the season."

Wenger also said he was not surprised at the news that Robin van Persie wants to stay at Manchester United, despite recent reports that he had met his former forward to discuss a return to Arsenal.

"He wanted so much to go there that the other way [to return] would be surprising," Wenger said.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd