Peter Henry
Arsenal and Manchester United legend Robin Van Persie has announced his intention to call time on his illustrious career at the end of this season.
In his prime, Van Persie was one of the deadliest finishers the English top-flight has ever seen, scoring 144 Premier League goals during his time at the Emirates and Old Trafford – a total that would easily have been much higher had he not suffered persistent injury problems during the early part of his career.
The Dutch striker’s goals famously almost single-handedly won the Premier League title for Manchester United during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge of the Red Devils in 2012/13.
He left Old Trafford to join Turkish Fenerbahce in the summer of 2015, before returning to the club where he began his career, Dutch side Feyenoord.
Now 35 years old, Van Persie has admitted that he has refound his love for the game back in his homeland, but he will more than likely decide to hang up his boots at the end of the current Eredivisie campaign.
“When I have to stop? That is probably at the end of this season,” Van Persie told AD.
“I will be 36 years old and will have been a professional for 18 years. From the age of five, I’ve only been involved in football.
“I also do not believe that my return to Feyenoord has only been successful if we win the title.
“How is it successful? This is actually it, if you look at the whole picture. I had lost the fun. That’s not how I wanted to end, without pleasure. The fun has returned at Feyenoord.
“I want to win as a football player and the cup win was nice, but that is not the measurement between whether it is successful or not.
“I wanted to give something back, share my experiences. I am trying to help my fellow players.
“I see it as broader than just winning a title or not. That is the goal, that is what the club also say, but whether or not we win a title is not decisive for me on whether my return is successful or not.”
Van Persie also played 102 times for Holland, scoring 50 goals.