The sight of Robin van Persie today sitting alongside Sir Alex Ferguson signing a four year contract seems, to an avid Manchester United fan, almost as implausible as Patrick Vieira adorning the red of United in his heyday, something that was once speculated on, but was a million miles away from becoming reality. Today, however, the almost unthinkable has become a reality. United have signed the Footballer of the Year and the Premiership's leading goalscorer in a move that has sent shock-waves throughout football.
United have made a real signal of intent, with Sir Alex's eagerness to spark his front-line to life, putting Wayne Rooney on his toes, whilst also providing healthy competition for young Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez and Danny Welbeck abundantly clear. A team who lost their league title by a signal goal in that flurry of Manchester City madness now has another dimension; another world-class goal threat.
Some may say that he is ageing and that he has a poor injury record, but those are just bitter excuses used by Arsenal fans to cushion the blow of losing the man that carried their team so admirably last season. Arsene Wenger today admitted how hurt he was at being forced into a corner and into selling his prize asset to a rival. But are the two clubs really rivals any more? Gone are the days of intense grudge matches. United have had it all their own way in recent times against the Gunners.
Where does this move leave the two sides? For United, it has provided depth and flexibility; another attacking avenue from which to threaten both at home and abroad, with similarities drawn between the current side and that of the infamous '99 treble winners. In a front four of Rooney, van Persie, Welbeck and Hernandez, United can call upon fantastic options, much akin to the quartet of Yorke, Cole, Sheringham and Solskjaer. And of course, all of this is forgetting the previous incumbent of the Premiership leading goalscorer award, a certain Dimitar Berbatov. This move surely paves the end of his topsy-turvy career at Old Trafford.
For Arsenal, they face another season of rebuilding. After such a desperately poor start to their last league season, including that 8-2 mauling at the hands of the Red Devils, they turned their season around to finish in an incredibly credible third place. Those Arsenal fans bitter at the exit of van Persie must surely look to his carrying of the team in reaching such heights and simply accept that he has moved on in order to change the fact that 8 years in English football have only brought about one trophy.
The signings of Oliver Giroud, top scorer in the French league last season, and Lukas Podolski, another forward with goalscoring pedigree, will soften this blow, as both were signed on the pretext that the flying Dutchman was always likely to leave. And with Santi Cazorla also joining the ranks, he will also add strength and fluency in attack. However, these three signings face a huge weight of expectation, and will need time, regardless of their abilities, to gel and adapt to the English game. People tend to forget that Arsenal have been here before. For every Thierry Henry signing that Arsene Wenger makes, there is a Jose Antonio Reyes, a player who came with high expectations and an inflated price tag, yet flopped dramatically.
It is a big season for both clubs and one in which a feeling of change will preside. For United, they have snapped up a real talisman, who can give the reds the front-line options that won City the title on goal-difference last season, whilst at Arsenal, as they seemingly always have to at this time of the year, there is a need to regroup and move on. Bitterness towards van Persie is inevitable, but were they bitter to Henry when he made his dream move to Barcelona after such great service? Wrongfully, they are pointing to the flaws of the Dutchman, when deep down they are hurting.
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