Robin van Persie did such a good PR job for Manchester United yesterday afternoon it surely won’t be long before they cut and paste some of his words across the front of the stadium. Forget the money, it was his soul that guided him to Old Trafford.
Asked why he had chosen United over Manchester City, the Barclays Premier League champions, Van Persie said: ‘It was based on a lot of things and all those things pointed to Manchester United.
‘When I have to make a hard decision in life I always listen to the little boy inside me. What does he want? That little boy was screaming for Manchester United.’
On Monday at Goodison Park, United begin their quest to wrest the trophy back. In the away end, grown men will scream Van Persie’s name. It will be this way from now on.
Before the season has even started, United have scored victory No 1 over City and given the lie to the theories that the champions need only to click their wealthy fingers for the world’s top players to come running. Van Persie would have been handsomely paid by any of his three primary suitors — City, United or Juventus — but the fact that Juve offered the most suggests he has indeed made a football decision.
‘I am here now and it’s the biggest challenge of my life so far,’ he said. ‘I think everyone knows me by now. I love football and it’s always difficult to find a perfect match but I think this is a perfect match for me.
‘Manchester United breathe football. I’m proud to be here and I’m looking forward to achieving big things at Old Trafford. It makes me proud. This is like a family club. That’s what I’m used to so in that respect it’s not a big difference.’
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson looked rather pleased as he sat next to his new player yesterday and it was hard to blame him. As is often the case with Ferguson, the personal touch had played its part, a Monday night phone call to Arsene Wenger helping to oil the wheels of the £24million deal.
‘I can’t elaborate on the conversation but it was amicable,’ said Ferguson. ‘Arsene knew the boy wanted to leave and wanted to come here so that made it easier. But it didn’t make it easier in terms of trying to reduce the fee. He could run a poker school in Govan, him! I think he’s got a great price but we’re also happy. With Arsene it was never a problem at all.’
Having trained with his new team-mates yesterday, Van Persie will be in the squad for Monday’s game and will in all likelihood be on the bench, perhaps appropriate for a player who has been handed the No 20 shirt once worn with such distinction by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In signing a player aged 29, who will effectively have no resale value in four years, United have deviated from their policy — following the disastrous purchase of Dimitar Berbatov four years ago — not to sign anybody over 27.
Having seen City raise the bar last season, however, United would appear to have taken a considered decision to advance their own cause as quickly as possible by signing a player who is very much the finished article.
Ferguson briefly compared Van Persie’s arrival to that of Eric Cantona in 1992. It should be remembered, though, that Cantona was 26 and had only one season of English football behind him. Van Persie has been immersed in the Premier League for nearly all his professional career.
On the field, the Holland striker will add pace and a directness, something United lacked during many of their more pedestrian performances last season.
Given the nature of much of their football, it was astonishing that they accrued as many points as City last time round and Ferguson rightly feels that Wayne Rooney, his most important player, is going to need some help.
Van Persie added: ‘I’ve said many times before that Rooney is a world- class player. I always look at players and like to see that they can adapt in every single game and Wayne can do that. He can score goals and make assists, he can play for the team and works hard. Then you’ve got Scholes and Giggs. They are world class and have been proving it for 20 years.
‘United have won a lot. I’d like to be part of that. They have done it already and I’d like to help them do it again.’
Journalists were asked not to probe too deeply about Van Persie’s reasons for leaving Arsenal yesterday. What he did say about his former club was eloquent enough.
Anyone who blames him for leaving, though, is foolish. Van Persie gave Arsenal eight seasons and 96 Premier League goals. In return they gave him one FA Cup. The last time he played at Old Trafford was last August. His team lost 8-2. The argument about the wisdom of leaving Arsenal begins and ends right there. – Daily Mail