Robin van Persie has given Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal a boost by revealing he wishes to stay at Old Trafford beyond the summer.
Van Persie has played a bit-part role in United’s season this time around, with injury restricting him to 25 starts and 10 goals in all competitions.
The Dutch striker knows that his days as United’s premier centre forward may well have gone, with Wayne Rooney the club captain and Van Gaal on the lookout for another big-name scorer.
However, it is understood that Van Persie, who will be 32 before the start of the next campaign, is happy to stay at the club into the final year of his contract next season — if United still want him and he is guaranteed a decent amount of playing time.
Van Persie is happy in the north-west of England, with his children settled in a school in Cheshire. Van Gaal has not yet indicated what his plans are for him beyond the end of this season but last night a source close to the striker said: ‘Robin is in no rush to leave. He still thinks he can achieve things and contribute at Old Trafford.’
Van Persie returned from an ankle injury as a late substitute in United’s 3-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday and is in line to make a starting return to the team in the home game against West Brom this weekend.
He is likely to ease ahead of fellow striker Radamel Falcao, who made little impression when given 45 minutes at Goodison Park, while Wayne Rooney is awaiting the results of tests on a bang to his knee picked up on Merseyside.
United would not comment on Rooney’s fitness last night but it is understood that Van Gaal is not overly concerned.
Rooney was given permission to attend the PFA awards dinner in London after Sunday’s game and was seen walking without any problem at the event.
Van Persie enjoyed a sensational first season at United after signing from Arsenal in the summer of 2012. He was United’s top scorer as they won the Premier League title but has struggled to make the same impact since.
Still one of the club’s highest earners, Van Persie would nevertheless be an attractive proposition to other clubs in Europe.
He has only a year left on his contract and would therefore be available for a relatively low price if United did look to sell.
United certainly need to bounce back quickly after Sunday’s defeat and central defender Chris Smalling admitted yesterday that Van Gaal’s players let themselves down. Smalling said: ‘This was a massive wake-up call for us. Right from the first minute we were off the pace and they had a pressure that we usually have.
‘We haven’t been the second-best team in games, even when we’ve lost we’ve always had that aggression and those tackles but on Sunday we were far from it.
‘I think we’ll see a different Manchester United against West Bromwich Albion. The fans deserve better.’
United will today confirm details of their summer tour of the USA. The trip will be confined to the west coast, with a base in Seattle and four matches.
Meanwhile, PSV Eindhoven winger Memphis Depay has said it would be a dream come true to move to the Premier League this summer. United and Liverpool are interested in signing the 21-year-old who looks certain to leave Holland at the end of the season.
Depay has scored 21 goals for the runaway Eredivisie leaders — 27 in all competitions — and admits he dreams of making a high-profile transfer this summer.
When asked about a possible move, Depay, who is the division’s top scorer, said: ‘If that would become reality, it would be fantastic. It is a dream to make a transfer with such a big impact.
‘But I already said there is a lot of speculation and a lot of stories, but I don’t know how things will work out, so let’s wait and see.
‘It would be great to go to one of the big competitions this summer but for now I don’t want to speak about that.’ – Daily Mail