RVP :*

 

All United fans will remember where they were when news broke that a deal had been agreed with Arsenal to bring Robin van Persie to Old Trafford and he put pen-to-paper on Friday 17 August.

Van Persie is the reigning PFA Player of the Year and the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year after a fabulous season with the Gunners.

The Dutchman was top scorer in the Barclays Premier League with 30 goals, three ahead of his nearest challenger, Wayne Rooney, who looks set to line up alongside him when the 2012/2013 campaign kicks off.

Born in Rotterdam, he really made his

mark at local side Feyenoord and was chased by some of England's top clubs after a couple of seasons impressing on the left wing. Despite rumoured interest from Tottenham, Arsenal snapped him up for £2.75million in 2004 and he soon proved value for money.

After overcoming injury problems, he became the main man at Arsenal, playing centrally and becoming a major influence on the Gunners' play. Taking over the captaincy, he was the driving force for Arsene Wenger's side and was clearly one of the best players of 2011/2012 with many pundits arguing he dragged the North Londoners into the top three by leading from the front.