Remember when Robin van Persie was the difference in the destination of the Premier League title?
Three years ago the Dutch striker chose Manchester United ahead of then league champions Manchester City, and the league title soon followed.
Then Alex Ferguson left, David Moyes arrived and series of niggling injuries turned Van Persie from saviour, and potential club legend, into a disposable, expensive and largely ineffective player.
It seems United and Louis van Gaal won’t stand in Van Persie’s way if he wants to leave, but he won’t be going to Besiktas.
According to talkSPORT, The Dutch striker has turned down the chance to move to Turkey, as he doesn’t want to uproot his family. Besiktas had reportedly offered Van Persie a long term deal and a guarantee of first team football.
Van Persie has a year remaining on his deal at Old Trafford, but has yet to recieve assurances from Van Gaal about his place in the team.
At the rate United are currently signing new players, Van Persie would probably be wise to stick around.
United aren’t the only Premier League side looking to be rid of supposed dead wood, Chelsea are reportedly looking to offload Juan Cuadrado. However, unlike Van Persie, Cuadrado wasn’t the decisive factor in his side’s title winning campaign.
According to The Daily Express, Jose Mourinho has told his superagent pal Jorge Mendes to find a club for the Colombian winger, just six months after paying €32 million for him.
Cuadrado was mostly used from the bench since singing from Fiorentina, and was mostly ineffective. Valencia are reportedly interested in a loan deal, with an option to buy the player outright. However, Mourinho wants a quick sale.
Another player Mourinho deemed surplus to requirements could be about to come back to haunt him. The Chelsea manager wasn’t impressed with Kevin de De Bruyne, allowing him to join Wolfsburg in January 2014, half-way through Mourinho’s first season back in England.
De Bruyne has been on-fire ever since, scoring ten goals, and registering 21 assists last season, and now could be on his way to Manchester City.
Uefa announced yesterday they’ll be loosening Financial Fair Play restrictions on City and PSG, allowing them both a full consignment of players in the Champions League, and the chance to spend big again.
According to The Daily Telegraph, City plan to take advantage by splashing the cash on De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, while they’re monitering Paul Pogba’s situation at Juventus, and may move for Fabian Delph.
