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Manchester United have agreed in principle to sign Arsenal striker Robin van Persie for a reported £23 million, the club announced today via their official website. The news of the transfer itself comes as little surprise, as the Netherlands international stated on July 4 that he would not sign a new contract with the Gunners when his current deal expires at the end of this coming season. However, RVP's transfer to a hated rival should come as a bit of a surprise, especially as it was rumored that United's crosstown rivals, Premier League champions City, were making a hefty push for the Dutchman's services with their oil-backed pocketbooks.
van Persie, who turned 29 on August 6, scored 30 goals last season in League play, leading both his team and Barclays Premier League. The move gives Sir Alex Ferguson the top two goal scorers from the 2011-12 League campaign on his team, as Englishman Wayne Rooney scored 27 goals for United last season. It also would appear to make United the betting favorites to bring home their 20th English crown this season and make a serious push for European trophies as well following a substandard 2011-12 in that regard.
United Potential First XI with van Persie
Obviously, this is completely fluid. I would expect that Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and perhaps Antonio Valencia will see a lot of time in central midfield. Javier Hernandez and Shinji Kagawa will also see substantial time up front, presenting Ferguson with an excellent problem - too much firepower. The point is that this move gives United a ton of options, something they haven't really had in a while.
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