Arsenal star in custody in Rotterdam over alleged rape of woman
Prosecutors will decide today whether to pursue a rape case against the striker.
Prosecution spokesperson Jei Chen de Graaf said: "He was arrested on Monday. He is at least going to be in custody until tomorrow.
"Tomorrow, we will decide if we are going to hold him for longer, although strictly speaking we do have three days. The investigation is in full motion right now. He is now a suspect and, according to the findings of the
investigation, if we want to hold him for longer than three days we have to ask a judge, and then he could be held for a further 14 days."
Dutch media reported that the incident took place in a Rotterdam nightclub.
Van Persie has hired high profile Dutch lawyer Abraham Moszkowicz who said his client was innocent. He said: "I know the class of the young lady concerned how, I can't tell you and I put large question marks around the truth content of her story."
If convicted, the 21-year-old footballer could be jailed for up to 12 years.
Arsenal were remaining tight-lipped about the affair and made no comment.
At the weekend Van Persie, who was born in Rotterdam, stressed his desire to stay at Arsenal long-term and to learn from fellow Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp. Van Persie scored for the Netherlands in a World Cup qualifying match against Finland last Wednesday. The player joined Arsenal last year from Feyenoord and began to force his way into the first team towards the end of last season, scoring twice in the FA Cup semi-final win over Blackburn.
In October he crashed his BMW, leaving the car upside down at the scene without informing police.
No one was injured and Van Persie wasn't charged with any offence.
He was sent off for elbowing Manchester United's Kieran Richardson in December and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger later said Van Persie needed to "keep his nerves under control and not get over-excited."
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