Arsenal going through potential Champions League showdown with acquainted face
Arsenal’s potential Champions League final 16 conflict with Dutch aspect Feyenoord is ready to obtain an added flavour of spice – with former striker Robin van Persie poised to take over the job Liverpool’s Arne Slot surrendered final summer time.
Van Persie spent eight years on the Emirates Stadium between 2004 and 2012, scoring 96 objectives in 194 Premier League appearances, and was a part of the Arsenal aspect that completed runners-up to Barcelona within the 2006 Champions League closing.
The elegant Dutchman, who possessed a wand of a left foot and was recognized for the spectacular, left in controversial circumstances to affix Manchester United and instantly received the Premier League title at Outdated Trafford, earlier than winding down his profession in his native Netherlands.
The 41-year-old really ended his profession the place it began, at Dutch giants Feyenoord, and issues are about to show full circle for Van Persie as The Athletic report that he’s set to imminently be named because the membership’s new supervisor.
Van Persie is at present in control of Heerenveen – his first managerial put up – and has solely been within the position for 9 months. Nevertheless, with Feyenoord opting to sack Danish supervisor Brian Priske lower than a 12 months after dropping Slot to Liverpool, it seems he is on the cusp of taking over one of many greatest Eredivisie jobs going.
An unlikely reunion with Arsenal might be a matter of weeks away as Feyenoord are one in every of two opponents that the Gunners might be drawn in opposition to in Friday’s Champions League final 16 draw.
The opposite aspect who might come up in opposition to Mikel Arteta’s aspect are Feyenoord’s bitter rivals, PSV Eindhoven, who overcame Juventus of their two-legged Champions League knockout spherical play-off tie after a 4-3 mixture win following extra-time.
One other spotlight of Van Persie’s Arsenal profession was when he was named PFA Gamers’ Participant of the 12 months in 2011/12 after successful the Premier League Golden Boot in his closing season – his 30 objectives a feat that matched Thierry Henry’s career-best output in the course of the Invincibles season of 2003/04.
