Van Persie considering Manchester United exit: The club has a negative side and I will decide my future this summer

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Van the Man: Has he played his last game at Old Trafford?

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James Benge

7 June 2015

Robin van Persie could soon be swapping Manchester United for Juventus after claiming he does not want to sit on the Old Trafford bench.

The 31-year-old forward struggled in his third season at United, finding himself slipping behind Wayne Rooney and Falcao towards the end of the season, and ending the campaign with a record of just 10 goals, his lowest return since an injury-plagued 2009-10 season.

And it seems that the 31-year-old may not be willing to settle for the sidelines as he enters his final few years at the top level. With Juventus rumoured to be considering a move for the Dutch striker he also admitted that conversations with former team-mate Patrice Evra had left him feeling impressed with the Champions League runners-up.

"I know that the more games I play, the more it will help me prepare for the European Championships next summer," Van Persie told the Sunday Mirror. "As a player you want to arrive at tournaments with good match time and not as a bench-sitter.

"I know that when you are at a club like Man United, you have to accept that you cannot always play or be guaranteed a starting place.

"It is like a beast. It is so big and strong and it can do wonderful things for you, but it also has a negative side and that is what I have got to decide on this summer.

Real Madrid and Lazio have been linked with the Netherlands' record goalscorer but it seems that the Old Lady of Turin is the most interesting prospect for van Persie.

The Premier League XI set to leave this summer

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He said: "They have a fantastic spirit in their team. They have a totally different approach from English or Dutch players before games.

"They grab each other by the head, they shout at each other to pump each other up. And they also have big running sessions after games.

"Patrice has told me that there are so many ways to be successful and that you can’t say one way or another is perfect."

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Van Persie considering Manchester United exit: The club has a negative side and I will decide my future this summer

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The Premier League XI set to leave this summer