Robin van Persie led Manchester United to the title under Sir Alex Ferguson and was the new darling of the Stretford End... so, what went wrong with the Holland striker?

• Robin van Persie is on the verge of completing a move to Fenerbahce
• The Manchester United striker has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford
• Van Persie had a frosty relationship with former boss David Moyes
• The arrival of Louis van Gaal was supposed to be a boost for Van Persie 

By Chris Wheeler for MailOnline

Published: 07:05 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 09:38 EST, 9 July 2015

It was at the launch of one of Manchester United's many and varied global sponsorship deals, this time to unveil their new online financial trading partner in January, when Robin van Persie first acknowledged that his stock at Old Trafford had fallen quite dramatically.

'It's not up to me,' the 31-year-old Holland striker told us when asked if he would extend a contract that runs until next summer. 'For the moment I'm staying here for 18 months. That's it really.'

Six months on, and it is up to Van Persie. There will be no new contract but only he can decide whether to see out his final year without any guarantees of a first-team place next season, or accept the offer of a three-year deal with Turkish club Fenerbahce on the same £240,000-a-week salary he enjoys at United – a deal potentially worth £36million in wages alone.

Manchester United striker Robin van Persie is on the verge of signing for Fenerbahce during the summer

Van Persie arrived at the Carrington training ground as he returned for pre-season training on Monday

It's a situation few could have foreseen when Van Persie emerged as the star of Sir Alex Ferguson's final season in charge; the catalyst for United to reclaim the Premier League title from neighbours Manchester City in 2013 and the new darling of the Stretford End – a status assured by his 90th-minute winner in the derby at the Etihad.

That was one of the Dutchman's 30 goals in 48 appearances – 26 of them in the league – which justified Ferguson's decision to pay £24m for a 29-year-old striker to reignite his team.

But why has the fire gone out since then?

It was hardly a secret that the opportunity to play under Ferguson and challenge for more trophies was the main reason Van Persie left Arsenal for United in the summer of 2012, and why no-one was more crestfallen than him when the Scot made his sudden announcement to retire a year later.

He was one of the senior players who never took to David Moyes, clashing with Ferguson's successor over a training regime that he believed did not suit him. Despite continuing his rich vein of form with 18 goals in 28 games, Van Persie spent much of that season struggling with injury and Moyes even considered bringing in a Dutch medic specifically to cater for the striker's needs.

After suffering what was meant to be a season-ending knee injury following his Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos, it was telling that Van Persie returned from his recuperation period in Holland just days after Moyes' sacking to play for caretaker boss Ryan Giggs.

As gestures go, it was particularly damning.

Stretford End goes wild as RVP does keepy up with a scarf

Van Persie had a frosty relationship with former Manchester United manager David Moyes

The arrival of Van Persie's Dutch compatriot Louis van Gaal was supposed to boost his playing time

The arrival of Van Persie's Dutch compatriot Louis van Gaal last summer, fresh from a month together at the World Cup, was meant to herald a new start for the player.

Some expected him to be named captain ahead of Wayne Rooney who had threatened to leave Old Trafford a year earlier because he was unhappy over Ferguson's favouritism towards Van Persie and indications from Moyes that he would be needed as back-up for the Dutchman.

But Rooney got the armband and Van Persie increasingly got the hump. His relationship with Van Gaal became strained throughout the season as the new United boss often chose to persevere with expensive loan signing Radamel Falcao ahead of him. A lack of communication from the manager over his limited playing time is said to have been a particular problem.

Van Persie had his worst season at the club, scoring 10 goals in 29 games, and few would argue that he appeared to have lost half a yard of pace as well as some of his predatory instincts. 

His penultimate appearance, against West Bromwich Albion in May, brought a failed attempt from the penalty spot.

Van Gaal is understood to have reservations over Van Persie's fitness levels, having complained about the striker's performances last season, not least against his old club Arsenal in November when he was substituted 15 minutes from the end after touching the ball 13 times.

Van Persie celebrates with then-Holland manager Van Gaal during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

Van Persie has fallen out of favour at Manchester United and cannot be guaranteed time on the pitch

'You can count his touches of the ball and I do think that 13 is (too) few,' said the United manager. 'More importantly is how he's playing. It was a very bad game from him and that is why I changed him.'

Meanwhile Van Persie, who turns 32 in August, is understood to be concerned about his first-team opportunities next season going into what could be his last major championship with Holland at Euro 2016.

'Next year is the European Championship,' he said recently. 'That tournament is going to play a big role in the choice I will make. I have to be in my best form.'

While his agent Kees Voss opened talks with Fenerbache, Van Persie discussed the prospect of playing in Turkey with countrymen Dirk Kuyt, who recently ended his spell with Fenerbahce to rejoin Feyenoord in Holland, and Wesley Sneijder, who plays for Galatasaray.

Concerns that his wife Bouchra would be reluctant for the couple and their two children to give up a quiet life in Cheshire and move to Istanbul have also been played down.

Ultimately, it will be his choice. United will not force Van Persie out, nor will they guarantee him more first-team football this season. The fact that he is even having to make this decision shows how quickly things have changed. 

Manchester United will not force Van Persie out, pictured here celebrating against Leicester last Septemnber

Van Persie, who turns 32 in August, is understood to be concerned about first-team opportunities next season

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