All seems rosy for both van Persie and Arsenal in this scenario. Except for one aspect. At the beginning of the 2011/12 season they were entering their seventh season without any silverware in the cabinet at the Emirates. For a player that is seen as one of the most lethal strikers in the world this is not good enough. Also at the beginning of this season van Persie had only 2 years of his current deal to run. This inevitably led to speculation about his future. Although nothing came of these rumours in the summer, January proved to be vital. Van Persie was the run away leader in the race for the Golden Boot in the Premier League and Arsenal were performing solidly in the UEFA Champions League, largely thanks to van Persie's goals. The opinion amongst the media was that it surely had to when, not if, he left North London to enhance his chance of winning the medals his career deserved.
The season finished and van Persie was by far and away the winner of all personal awards the Premier League had to offer. He won the PFA Writers Player of the Year and Players Player of the Year and was named in the PFA Team of the Year on top of the Golden Boot, and of course with now only one year of his deal left to run, the media storm about his next destination hotted up. It was confirmed on 4th July 2012 that van Persie would not sign a new contract with the Gunners and, if needed, would see out the remainder of his deal and go on a Bosman transfer. This was obviously Catch 22 for Arsenal. Would the cash in on their talisman or wait it out and get another season out of him and risk losing him for nothing? They elected for the former. With dire consequences.
It was a huge blow to the Arsenal supporters to lose their captain but what was to come next would wound the fans in a way none of them knew possible. The club that had reportedly submitted a bid for van Persie was none other than Manchester United. The same Manchester United that had been Arsenal's main title rivals for the last two decades and who they had build up a huge rivalry with bad blood from both sides. The only thing worse than selling their talisman to United would be selling him to Tottenham Hotspur. Unthinkable though it may have been, the speculation was very much real and it was confirmed on 15th August 2012 that Robin van Persie had signed a 4 year contract with the Red Devils worth £190,000 per week, more than triple what his contract at Arsenal was worth, with a transfer fee of £24 million. This compared to other football transfer fees at the time was an absolute bargain. When it is considered that Andy Carroll had signed for Liverpool from Newcastle 8 months earlier with only 14 Premier League goals to his name for £11 million more than this, it is almost laughable.
Van Persie would make his debut in a 1-0 defeat away at Everton the following week and score his first goal for the club in a home match with Fulham, with his first shot for the club. This was to be the start of something special. A hat-trick in a 3-2 win at Southampton two weeks later saved United from the abyss. They were 2-1 down with 12 minutes left to play and van Persie would have the last word with a stoppage time winner. In total his Premier League goals alone have earned United 8 points in the race for the title. This is an astonishing return from a truly world class player. Whether or not the signing of van Persie will be the difference in the title race between United and their arch rivals Manchester City only time will tell but in the short term it appears that Sir Alex Ferguson had pulled off a masterstroke. Arsenal's loss is certainly United's gain.
MJ.
It was a huge blow to the Arsenal supporters to lose their captain but what was to come next would wound the fans in a way none of them knew possible. The club that had reportedly submitted a bid for van Persie was none other than Manchester United. The same Manchester United that had been Arsenal's main title rivals for the last two decades and who they had build up a huge rivalry with bad blood from both sides. The only thing worse than selling their talisman to United would be selling him to Tottenham Hotspur. Unthinkable though it may have been, the speculation was very much real and it was confirmed on 15th August 2012 that Robin van Persie had signed a 4 year contract with the Red Devils worth £190,000 per week, more than triple what his contract at Arsenal was worth, with a transfer fee of £24 million. This compared to other football transfer fees at the time was an absolute bargain. When it is considered that Andy Carroll had signed for Liverpool from Newcastle 8 months earlier with only 14 Premier League goals to his name for £11 million more than this, it is almost laughable.
Van Persie would make his debut in a 1-0 defeat away at Everton the following week and score his first goal for the club in a home match with Fulham, with his first shot for the club. This was to be the start of something special. A hat-trick in a 3-2 win at Southampton two weeks later saved United from the abyss. They were 2-1 down with 12 minutes left to play and van Persie would have the last word with a stoppage time winner. In total his Premier League goals alone have earned United 8 points in the race for the title. This is an astonishing return from a truly world class player. Whether or not the signing of van Persie will be the difference in the title race between United and their arch rivals Manchester City only time will tell but in the short term it appears that Sir Alex Ferguson had pulled off a masterstroke. Arsenal's loss is certainly United's gain.
MJ.
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