Years of Service: 3
Signed From / Price: Arsenal / £21.49 million*
Apearances: 105
Goals: 58
Assists: 22
Honours with United: 1 Premier League, 1 Community Shield
Best Game as a Red Devil: Hat-Trick vs Aston Villa in 3-0 win. It not only clinched United’s 20th Premier League Title but his 2nd goal was an exquisite volley.
His United Legacy
After van Persie’s transfer from Arsenal to Old Trafford he opted to wear shirt number 20, as he was going to help us win title number 20 that season. He wasn’t wrong. With 26 Premier League goals and 15 assists number 20 got more than double the goals of any other United player. It’d take the next top 3 United goal scorers (Rooney-12, Hernandez-10, Kagawa-6), combined to top RvP’s goal romp.
However the following two seasons were not so successful for Flying Dutchman. After van Persie had come to United to win trophies and won one, the worst happened. The Great Sir Alex Ferguson retired and replaced by a manager who had never won a trophy and had never managed a world class team. This resulted in a disastrous season for all Manchester United players.
In the next season things looked on the up! RvP had a stellar world cup where he took his country to 3rd place and scored a couple of great goals on the way. Plus his international coach was announced as the new United manager. But unfortunately he couldn’t return to the form of his debut season, and injury struggles from the season before and during that season set him back a lot.
He was brought in by Fergie after his 30 goal season at Arsenal and was at Old Trafford to win the Premier League, he achieved his purpose. Once Ferguson left he couldn’t really establish himself into the next two boss’s plans.
Now he’s at Fenerbahce which will be a much easier division for a player of his talent to score in. RvP will be playing along some good footballers too such as: Bruno Alves; Caner Erkin; Moussa Sow and; old Manchester United team mate Nani. Next season he’ll be back to banging in 20+ goals.
What Will Manchester United Do Without Him?
With RvP sold, Falcao’s contract not renewed, James Wilson not being Premier League ready, Depay actually being a winger, Hernandez only performing as a super-sub and; Rooney not being a true striker (he’s a centre forward, there’s a huge difference) United are left with no real strikers.
Giggs, the assistant manager, has said that the pre-season tour will give the young players a chance to stake their claim in the first team but I see none who are ready to become the front man for Manchester United. With Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Darmian and Depay signed the Red Devils are going hard in the market so if no epic striker appears during pre-season than you can bet that a top class striker will be brought in to fill the void.
