Stan Kroenke in recent months must have been feeling deja vu. His team was at an impasse with its disgruntled star player.
At Arsenal, the English Premier League team Kroenke owns, he was facing a very Carmelo Anthony-like situation with Dutch soccer star Robin van Persie.
And Thursday, mega-club Manchester United is expected to complete the signing of van Persie from Arsenal after the Premier League rivals reached an agreement over the sale of the striker.
No financial details were disclosed, although British media have reported the London club wanted 20 million pounds ($31.3 million) for its captain, who has one year left on his contract.
The Dutchman was the Premier League’s top scorer last season with 30 goals. But he refused to sign a new contract with Arsenal, saying he wasn’t happy with the direction the club was heading.
Arsenal hasn’t won a trophy since 2005 and has been unable to keep hold of its leading players in recent seasons, with midfielders Cesc Fabregas joining Barcelona and no fewer than four players have left for Premier League champion Manchester City — Samir Nasri, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Gael Clichy — since 2009.
If United completes the signing of van Persie, he will join a star-studded strikeforce that includes Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger already has planned for a future without van Persie by signing France striker Olivier Giroud and Germany forward Lukas Podolski in the offseason. Denver Post wire services
