Robin Van Persie is set to join Manchester United after the club announced that it had reached an agreement to sign the 29-year old Arsenal captain.
The deal, believed to be in the region of £24m, is subject to a medical and agreement of personal terms. Van Persie is expected to arrive in Manchester within the next 48 hours with a view to becoming available for United’s first game of the season at Everton on Monday.
It had been widely believed that the Dutch striker would opt to join United after Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed an initial bid which was turned down earlier in the summer.
Juventus and Manchester City were in the running earlier in the summer but the lure of playing regular first team football at Old Trafford with a side capable of challenging for this season’s Barclays Premier League title has swayed Van Persie’s decision.
The exit of Arsenal’s talismanic captain will worry Arsenal fans concerned about the ambition of the London club despite a summer of investment in a number of players including Lukas Podolski by Arsene Wenger.