Football: United agree deal for Arsenal’s Van Persie

Manchester United said Wednesday they had agreed a deal to sign Dutch striker from Premier League rivals Arsenal.

“Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Arsenal Football Club for the transfer of Robin Van Persie,” said a club statement.

“The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms. A further announcement will be made in due course.”

Van Persie stunned Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger when he declared immediately after Euro 2012 that he wanted to leave the north London team because he felt the club’s ambitions did not match his own.

That came after a superb season where the forward scored 37 goals in all competitions, a tally that led him to being voted player of the year by both his fellow professionals in England and the country‘s Football Writers’ Association.

Van Persie‘s announcement sparked interest from Premier League champions Manchester City, as well as Italian giants Juventus, but it is United manager Alex Ferguson who has won the race for the striker’s coveted signature.

It is not expected either a medical or indeed personal terms will prove a barrier to the 29-year-old‘s move to Old Trafford.

No fee has been confirmed by either United or Arsenal, although it has been reported as around the 20million mark.

Provided the deal goes through smoothly, van Persie could make his United debut in their Premier League opener away to Everton on Monday.

The transfer is set to be the most expensive deal United have done since Dimitar Berbatov’s club record ?30.75m move from Tottenham in 2008.

Ferguson made van Persie one of his main pre-season targets, despite already having Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez in his squad.

The veteran Scottish boss even went so far as speaking directly to Wenger in a bid to make sure the deal went through.

French boss Wenger did not want to sell prize asset van Persie to a rival Premier League club.

But, with supporters turning against their former favourite during a pre-season match with Cologne on Sunday and van Persie having just a year left on his Gunners contract, he clearly decided it was better to sell him for a large fee than see him leave for nothing in 12 months‘ time.

But with van Persie having followed former Arsenal stars Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri -- sold to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively last year -- out of the Emirates, questions will be asked about Arsenal’s determination to end a seven-year trophy drought. (AFP)



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EPL "득점왕" 로빈 판 페르시, 루니와 한솥밥!

잉글랜드 프로축구 프리미어리그 아스널에서 간판 골잡이로 활약했던 로빈 판 페르시(29•네덜란드)가 라이벌팀 맨체스터 유나이티드(맨유)로 이적한다.

맨유과 아스널은 16일(한국시간) 구단 공식 홈페이지를 통해 판 페르시의 이적에 대한 양 구단 간의 협상을 마무리했다고 나란히 발표했다.

이적료는 공개되지 않았지만 영국 BBC 등 현지 매체들은 최고 2천400만 파운드(426억원)에 달하는 것으로 추산하고 있다.

양 구단이 이적료에 합의하면서 판 페르시는 곧바로 맨체스터로 이동, 메디컬테스트와 세부 계약내용 조율을 거친 뒤 공식적으로 맨유 유니폼을 입게 된다.

네덜란드 프로축구 명문 페예노르트에서 2004년 아스널로 이적한 판 페르시는 지난 시즌까지 8시즌 동안 아스널에서만 뛰면서 총 277경기에서 132골을 기록한 간판 공격수다.

특히 지난 시즌에는 정규리그에서만 30골을 넣으며 득점왕에 오르는 등 물오른 활약을 펼쳤다.

하지만 최근 수년간 팀이 무관에 그친 데에 아쉬움을 표하며 지난달 초 재계약 거부 의사를 밝혔다.

맨체스터 시티(맨시티), 이탈리아 세리에A의 유벤투스 등 대형 구단의 러브콜을 받은 판 페르시는 당초 맨시티행이 유력하게 점쳐졌지만 높은 이적료와 주급으로 쉽게 합의에 이르지 못했다.

이때 맨유가 영입경쟁에 적극적으로 뛰어들었고 알렉스 퍼거슨 맨유 감독까지 직접 설득에 나선 결과 새 시즌 개막을 코앞에 두고 판 페르시의 맨유행이 성사됐다.