As was largely expected throughout the ever-changeable summer transfer period, Louis van Gaal and Manchester United eventually saw fit to part ways with striker Robin van Persie after three relatively successful seasons at Old Trafford.
The ex-Emirates Stadium favourite, who obviously left the Gunners under a cloud of intense controversy and perceived betrayal against his former club, won himself a fair amount of silverware with the Red Devils – most notably including that illustrious Premier League title that constantly eluded him at Arsenal.
Since joining Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce S.K, however, the ‘flying Dutchman’ has already scored two goals in all competitions, proving that he may still yet have some gas left in the tank at the not so flattering age of 32.
So then, even though many within the wider footballing community simply couldn’t imagine the technically gifted striker operating in the Premier League for a great while longer, were LVG and Manchester United ultimately a bit too keen to wave goodbye to Van Persie this summer?
Well, as the Red Devils constantly need to be improving their squad in order to keep up with the financially backed likes of Manchester City and Chelsea year after year, it’s initially very easy to see why Manchester United ultimately let the former Arsenal man depart Old Trafford so readily this summer.
Let’s face it – even though RVP remains a fantastically gifted striker capable of operating in any league in the world at the moment – fans of the Premier League in general simply didn’t see the best of the 32-year-old last season. For one reason or another, something just looked to be missing from the Dutchman’s overall game and approach to dealing with his weekly matchday duties.
Maybe it’s because Manchester United are no longer the club they once were in his eyes. Perhaps the fans had ultimately grown tired of their ageing striker in the final third, or it may simply come down to the fact that Van Persie just isn’t the explosively threatening player he used to be. Either way, Louis van Gaal supposedly had no option but to part ways with his often injury-prone front-man this term, especially as the Red Devils are now aiming forward with a much more youthful look about them.
However, even though Van Persie was clearly getting on in terms of age and quality throughout the course of last season, Manchester United’s seeming inability to source an adequate replacement for the notorious Dutchman really hasn’t put the club in the most promising light ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.
This is United after all – if they have all summer to find themselves a world class striker capable of leading their front-line throughout the upcoming season – you would normally expect them to cover all basis, right?
Well in this particular case, such a fairy-tale-like outcome just simply hasn’t taken place for Louis van Gaal or his determined Red Devils. Whilst both Memphis Depay and Anthony Martial will likely impress at Old Trafford this season, neither player is tried or tested in the Premier League all things considered. They ultimately don’t offer their new manager that elite level of reliability required in the top-flight these days, seeing as both of them are mere youngsters in the cold light of day.
Although Robin van Persie’s form in front of goal admittedly remains questionable in the modern era, surely Manchester United would look in better shape now with the Dutchman still on board? The 2015/16 campaign would likely have offered the former Arsenal man the chance to score plenty of goals in the Premier League – and as Wayne Rooney hasn’t been a proper striker at Old Trafford for a good few consecutive seasons now – the Red Devils could well find themselves in a perilous situation up-top this campaign if they’re not careful.
As the club only received a reported £4.7 million for their once priceless Dutch asset, the boardroom staff working behind the scenes at Manchester United simply didn’t prove themselves to be the shrewdest of businessmen this summer by all accounts.
Yes, it’s obviously nice to see your club linked with the likes of Karim Benzema and Thomas Muller consistently across the summer transfer window – but neither of those aforementioned stars seemingly considered Old Trafford a good enough career move this season – sometimes sticking with what you already have invariably proves the most sensible option in the end.
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