Fenerbahce striker Robin van Persie has claimed that he could still have been a Manchester United player to this day had Sir Alex Ferguson not retired in 2013.
Van Persie joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2012 from Arsenal in a £25m deal and was the catalyst for Man United’s final league triumph under Ferguson before his retirement the following summer.
The Dutch striker then struggled under Louis van Gaal’s restrictive tactics and ended up leaving the club last summer for Turkish giants Fenerbahce, whom he has scored 17 goals in 35 league games for.
Van Persie has now intimated that had Ferguson not retired, he may still be playing for Man United.
“We will never know. It could have been that I could have been a player for Manchester United today,” Van Persie told the pre-match press conference.
“When I signed that was the idea, that Sir Alex would stay on for a few more years, but in football things change, you can’t plan your own path or your coach’s path.
“In this world you have to deal with how it comes. Things develop, things change positively and negatively. In this world you have to deal with how it comes and that is what I did.”
During the Dutchman’s three years at Man United, he scored 48 goals in 86 Premier League appearances and his 58 in 105 games in all competitions.
He won his one and only Premier League trophy with the Red Devils and picked up the Golden Boot in his debut season with 26 goals in the top flight, four fewer than he had managed in the previous season with Arsenal.
However, Van Persie does not want to dwell too much on his United exit and is focused on his responsibilities to Fenerbahce even though he will savour his return to Old Trafford.
He added: “What happened, happened. I don’t think you have to make it bigger than it is.
“You shake hands and move on to the next chapter. I’m not that romantic, thinking, ‘that was the moment’ – I will just do my lap, go in and prepare
“I have to find the right balance of having fun, enjoying the moment of being back here and doing my work.
“I have to try and do my best for Fenerbahce. I have to give my all.”
COMMENTS