Robin Van Persie could be on a plane to London only a year after joining Fenerbaçhe from Manchester United in 2015 if everything falls into place. It is rumoured that he has been offered to various clubs but he is said to be keen on a move back to the city where he prospered. West Ham and Crystal Palace are said to be the major clubs he has been offered to and Van Persie will be keen to get back into the familiar hullabaloo and rigours of the Premier League.
After being frustrated for much of his year-long stint at Fenerbaçhe, Van Persie is ready to pack up his bags in Turkey. Lured by a hefty financial package and the passion of the fans, ‘The Flying Dutchman’ as he is famously called for his header against Spain in the World Cup, made his way to Turkey but soon his form deserted him and subsequently his starting place in the team.
Over at Crystal Palace, their desperate search for a marksman who can help them cement their place at the top of the table led to them bidding a whopping £31.8m for Marseille’s Michy Batshuayi though they were beaten to the Belgian’s signature by hi-jack specialists Chelsea. Now, with their pursuit of Christian Benteke facing the stumbling block in view of Liverpool’s quoted price, Van Persie suddenly looks like a viable option. Though his questionable fitness record and current form shouldn’t have posed much of a hindrance for mid-table clubs like Palace in going after him earlier, the recent influx of money from Television rights has evened out the playing field for lots of clubs financially.
But a proven Premier League winner who is both good in the air and has unquestionable finishing prowess, a cut-price deal in the region of £4m might be too tempting to ignore for Palace. The Eagles possess potent arsenal to provide goal scoring chances to a re-energised Van Persie who has scored over 210 goals for both Arsenal and Manchester United. If given a chance he will certainly look to answer his critics after the Turkish debacle.
Though it is understood Van Persie is past his prime, at, 32, but he can still provide good value for his price and can offer a little more than a role of just a back-up striker. He has the ability to control long balls and finish past the keeper and can be expected to strike up a partnership with Yohan Cabaye in a similar mould of his excellent rapport with Alex Song during his Arsenal days.
The addition of a world class striker in the form of Van Persie will surely boost the image and profile of the club. It’s not a marriage made in heaven but certainly circumstantial evidence suggests it’s a pair that should hit it off.
