Manchester United fans around the world could barely believe their luck when Arsene Wenger sold them their best player in the summer of 2012.
Robin Van Persie was fresh off winning the PFA and Football Writers Association award for the player of the season, and had won the Premier League golden boot for the most goals in the league, a coming-of-age campaign for a player who had spent many a season on the treatment table.
RVP and United were a match made in heaven. United fans were starved of transfer activity in earlier years, with Dimitar Berbatov’s signing in the summer of 2008 the only major acquisition in previous years. And for RVP, United represented an opportunity to win trophies – a club steeped in history and where success is tattooed across the badge. He had shunned a more lucrative contract at rivals Manchester City and spoke of the little boy in him who screamed Manchester United.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s last stroke of genius led United to their 20th league title, scoring 26 goals in the league, more than making up for the deficiencies of strike partner Wayne Rooney, who added only five after Christmas. RVP’s honeymoon period lasted for an entire season – he was happy, settled, motivated and pulled United’s bottom out of the fire on more occasions than it seems polite to mention. But the question is – when Van Persie left the Emirates for Old Trafford, did he sign up to play for the greatest manager of all time or for David Moyes?
Although Robin is unlikely to regret leaving Arsenal, thanks to the fact that he now has a Premier League medal to add to his dismal trophy collection, thanks to Arsenal’s barren years, Robin does give the impression of being disillusioned with the present scenario at Manchester United, often taking to the media to lash out at teammates for poor performances. Although he was quick to distance himself from his post-match comments following the 2-0 defeat away to Olympiakos, rumours in the press suggest Van Persie is unhappy with the training methods and tactics of United manager David Moyes. No wonder his clarification statement was long. His initial comments meant he had a lot of ground to make up.
But despite Van Persie’s so called erratic form, the Dutchman remains United’s joint top scorer this season with 17 goals in all competitions. 17 goals in an injury-troubled inconsistent season speaks volumes of Van Persie’s natural ability in front of goal and truth be told, Van Persie remains one of the most technically gifted players on the planet, arguably the best player in his position. Any manager would be nothing but crazy to get rid of a talent like Van Persie despite some people’s suggestions that RVP’s best days might well be behind him.
Even if he is injury-free and at the peak of his powers, one will have to question about his motivation, after all the Dutchman has barely managed to distinguish himself in what has been an incredibly difficult transitional campaign for the club.
Certainly, David Moyes could hardly be blamed for attempting to cash in on the present scenario. Van Persie’s sale wouldn’t fetch a huge transfer fee, but would free up a major chunk of the pay roll, £235,000-a-week to be exact. It would ensure one less headache for a manager looking to get his feet under the table, but selling your most valuable goal-scoring asset could backfire on any team. Manchester United are no different. And for manager who has barely done enough to silence his doubters, the last thing that David Moyes needs is a transfer decision gone wrong.
Van Persie is definitely not in the secure, happy headspace he was in the last campaign when he was scoring goals for fun. The manner in which he clattered around against West Brom last month and cut a frustrated figure speaks volumes of the fact that United’s failings this season has affected his game. The sullen shake of the head after Moyes made the wise decision to take him off shows that a sulking Van Persie can be a hindrance sometimes.
Yet, in a season which is likely to be followed by a series of wholesale departures from the club – with Nemanja Vidic set to join Inter and Rio Ferdinand set to hang up his boots to spend more time with his caps, the last thing that the club needs is another senior pro heading towards the exit door. It will send out the wrong message, and United can’t afford it at the moment.
For some reason, you just can’t see Van Persie turning out in the same way for David Moyes as he did for Sir Alex Ferguson. He received the opportunity to work with arguably the greatest manager of all time, and seemed to revel in it. Rewind your memory to the away fixture at the Britannia Stadium when RVP scored a penalty to end a 10-match barren streak, and ran the length of the half to leap into the gaffer’s arms. “He nearly killed me,” Sir Alex joked later. “He forgets that I’m 71.”
Selling the most natural goalscorer in the world would be utter foolishness. Above all, the Rooney-RVP combination deserves another bite at the cherry, and there is little doubt in my mind that Robin Van Persie will stay at Manchester United. The little boy will sulk occasionally, but there is no other place he would rather be.
Watch all 30 goals from his first season at Old Trafford