Tag Archives: Robin van Persie

Van Persie set to return to stage of former glory

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Euro 2016

At the age of 33, Fenerbache’s Robin Van Persie is now approaching the twilight years of his senior career.

Career commences with Feyenoord

That began in 2001 with Feyenoord.

In 78 appearances Van Persie scored 22 goals for the Rotterdam-based club whilst he was also a member of their team which won the 2001-2002 UEFA Cup by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in the final.

Whilst a Feyenoord player Van Persie amassed 12 Netherlands U-21 caps, although he only earned recognition at senior international level after joining Arsenal in May 2004, for an extremely modest transfer fee of £2.75m.

Lynchpin of Arsenal’s attack

Although Arsene Wenger has a fine record of recruiting new players throughout his 20-year reign as Arsenal manager, the Frenchman’s signing of Van Persie potentially represents one of the most astute signings to have been completed during his time at the club.

In eight seasons with Arsenal, despite only winning the F.A Cup and Community Shield in 2004, Van Persie was invariably the fulcrum of his team’s attack, scoring 132 goals in 277 appearances.

After being an ever present for Arsenal in their 2011-2012 English Premier League campaign, during which he scored 30 goals, Van Persie moved to Manchester United.

Mixed spell of frustration and success with Manchester United

Without delay Van Persie seamlessly integrated into Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, as a natural telepathy developed in his forward partnership with Wayne Rooney.

Just as he did for Arsenal the previous season, Van Persie played in each of United’s 38 league games and scored 26 goals, to help the club win their 13th English Premier League title, which marked the end of Ferguson’s 27-year managerial reign.

Despite Ferguson’s departure, Van Persie then remained with United for two further campaigns, although he was unable to reproduce the fine form he delivered during his maiden season with the club.

Whilst Van Persie flourished under the guidance of Ferguson, he struggled to perform to the best of his ability under the great Scottish manager’s successors, David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal, as United endured two disappointing seasons.

Start of a new adventure with Fenerbache

Subsequently in July 2015, Van Gaal made the decision to sell Van Persie to Fenerbache, with the striker being reacquainted with his former Manchester United teammate Nani.  As one of just two recognised forwards in Fenerbache’s squad, with the other being Fernandao, Van Persie scored 16 goals in 31 Turkish Super Lig appearances last season, as the club finished second beind Besiktas, to earn qualification to the Champions League Third Qualifying Round.

Yellow Canaries on song in the Europa League

However Fenerbache losttheir two leg qualifying tie to reach European football’s elite club competition 4-3 on aggregate to AS Monaco, for whom Van Persie’s former Manchester United team mate Radamel Falcao scored in both games.  Subsequently Fenerbache were then granted entry to the Europa League.

After beating Grasshopper 5-0 on aggregate, with former Chelsea winger Miroslav Stoch starring for Fenerbache, Dick Advocaat’s side qualified for the Europa League group stages, which they have commenced excellently.

As a means of building upon the valiant performance they produced to earn a 1-1 draw in the Ukraine against Zorya Luhansk, Fenerbache then beat Van Persie’s former club Feyenoord 1-0.

Courtesy of those two results, Fenerbache currently lead group A and are now to face Manchester United at Old Trafford, with Van Persie set to return to the scene where he achieved great success as part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s English Premier League title winning side in 2013.

Van Persie strives to recapture former greatness for Fenerbache

At that time, Van Persie was potentially in the best form of his career and although failing to emulate that since, the 101-times capped internationalist, who has scored 50 goals for this country, remains an extremely talented striker with the determination and drive to succeed, as proven by the manner in which he is endeavouring to regularly feature for Fenerbache.

So far this season, Van Persie has made nine appearances and worked his way back close to full fitness, after often being overlooked to spearhead Fenerbache’s attack in favour of Fernandao last season by Advocaat’s predecessor Vitor Pereira.

As such as Fenerbache strive to continue their fine start to this season’s Europa League by beating Manchester United at Old Trafford, just as they did in 1996 when Elvir Bolic scored their winning goal, Van Persie can undoubtedly help his current club achieve that against the one which he served so well and with whom the 33-year-old enjoyed many memorable moments.

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Manchester United’s Robin van Persie set for surprise Fenerbahce move

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Manchester United striker Robin van Persie appears set to join Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce this summer, with reports suggesting that his agent Kees Vos had been in Istanbul for two days discussing terms of the transfer. It would end a 10-year association in England for the Dutch international, and sees him exiting Old Trafford off the back of a miserable two years.

While the striker leaving Manchester United this summer was largely expected, his next destination is  a surprise to many given the interest in Europe. A host of clubs from the Italian Serie A were keen on his signature, and Van Persie’s ageing limbs would surely suit the slower- paced division perfectly. But Fenerbahce’s financial muscle sees them capturing a talented striker who should still have many years left of a career.

Van Persie, 31, has endured high and lows at Manchester United since his £22M move from Arsenal back in 2012. He was outstanding in his debut campaign at Old Trafford, leading the Red Devils to the Premier League title, but has since fallen down the pecking order at the club, and now manager Louis van Gaal considers him surplus to requirements. He scored just three goals in 2015 for United, and endured another injury-hit campaign.

The former Arsenal hitman netted more league goals in his first season at Old Trafford than he has in the two following seasons combined, and his overall performances were a cause for concern. He failed to strike up a partnership with the equally disappointing Radamel Falcao under their new manager, and both strikers have now been let go.

Fenerbahce are embarking upon a big gamble, with reports suggesting the Turkish outfit are tying the injury-prone Van Persie down for four years. His record at Arsenal (274 games, 131 goals) and Manchester United (105 games, 58 goals) is impressive, but it’s believed his best days are now behind him. And given how much he’s struggled staying fit for a campaign, it’s unlikely he will be a regular by the end of his contract.

For a player who has shown such quality in his pomp, leaving Old Trafford for Fenerbahce is not the way he perhaps envisioned bowing out of the club, but Robin van Persie is now set for a new chapter in his career, and Manchester United are moving in a different direction. Why he was virtually unopposed to join Fenerbahce is a question many sides will be asking, but his high wage demands are likely to have been a factor.

Could Robin van Persie make the move to the Italian Serie A this summer?

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Manchester United striker Robin van Persie is standing at the precipice in his time at Old Trafford, with his contract up at the end of next season, and there being no deal on the table this summer. He’s been linked with a number of sides in the Italian Serie A, which is a division that favour ageing strikers given the slower pace of the game, so could the Dutchman make the move ahead of the new campaign?

Van Persie has had a disappointing 2015, scoring only two league goals this year for the Red Devils. He was also relinquished of his penalty-taking duties by manager Louis van Gaal after missing a spot-kick in the 1-0 defeat against West Bromwich Albion earlier this month, and admitted in January that his future is in the air, saying: “It is not up to me. For the moment I am staying here for 18 months. That is it really. I can’t look into the future. I don’t know what is going to happen after that. We shall have to wait and see.”

Italian Serie A champions Juventus are one of a few sides interested in the Dutchman, as the division is perfectly suited for technical players lacking on the physical side. They have former United striker Carlos Tevez as their main man in attack, who is the same age as Van Persie, and has enjoyed the best season of his playing career, so a move to Italy certainly isn’t the end for Van Persie if he did sign.

Injuries have blighted his time at the club ever since he fired United to their last Premier League title in 2012/13, and given he turns 32 in August, his time could well be up. The club would rather cash in on him, and use his sale to fund another striker coming in to boost their title challenge in 2015/16, rather than keep a misfiring forward for another term and lose him for nothing.

Manchester United are expected to spend big this summer, and have already bolstered their attack with prolific Dutch forward Memphis Depay, who can play anywhere along the front line. They have an ageing set of strikers on the books, and are sure to bring in at least one man who can score them 20+ in the league. Van Persie has put in one too many disappointing overall performances in games to convincie his manager that he’s worth keeping, so will the Dutchman make the move to the Italian Serie A this summer?

Why Manchester United won’t miss injured Robin van Persie

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Manchester United striker Robin van Persie is set to miss an FA Cup reunion with former side Arsenal, with the Dutch international having picked up an ankle injury likely to keep him sidelined for a month. But will the 31-year-old’s absence really be felt by the Red Devils?

Manager Louis van Gaal is said to have a ‘special relationship’ with the former Arsenal man, but his form and performances have left a lot to be desired this season. Surprisingly, he’s managed to score 10 goals in 24 Premier League games, but his performances have still left a lot to be desired. Primarily playing alongside Radamel Falcao in attack this season, Van Persie has looked flat-footed, and uninterested to ever run the channels.

His goals come from staying in central areas, but it means time and again that he has little influence for the majority of the game. In his absence, Manchester United will look to Wayne Rooney to provide the goals, as Falcao has also disappointed. Van Persie has certainly declined with age, and his time with the Red Devils will be up soon enough.

Goals have dried up in recent weeks too, with Van Persie having scored just two goals in his last nine games in all competitions. Given his often below-par performances, if he’s not scoring goals, what is he doing? He struggled under former manager David Moyes last season too, so his gradual decline has been obvious apparent for some time.

Louis van Gaal has managed to get some goals out of the striker, but continues to have to change the system in order to get a performance from him. For the Netherlands national team, the former coach brought out the best in the 31-year-old because he paired him in attack with pace to compliment the two forwards. At United, Van Persie has been playing alongside another forward who takes up similar positions on the pitch. It means less link-up play between the two strikers, which breeds anonymous performances.

Manchester United have an important FA Cup clash to come, and having Rooney in attack will mean a lot more energy than what the Dutchman provides. So do the Red Devils need to look for a long-term replacement? Has Van Persie been pulling his weight? Will Manchester United really miss him for the month he’s out of action for? Wayne Rooney has been desperate to play back in attack after a lengthy spell in midfield, so United have certainly benefited.