Fergie joy: ManU get their man

London

Sir Alex Ferguson believes the signing of Robin van Persie will give him a strike force to compare with the prolific quartet who helped fire Manchester United to Champions League glory in 1999.

United have had a £24 million (about Sh3 billion) bid accepted for Arsenal captain Van Persie, who is likely to complete his move to Old Trafford on Thursday.

Ferguson expects the Dutchman to make his debut in Monday’s match at Everton, where he could join Wayne Rooney in a partnership comprising the two top scorers in the Premier League last season.

“They are two fantastic players and it’s great to have the both of them,” Ferguson said. “It’s great to have a player of Van Persie’s qualities coming into the squad.

“His agent is in talks with David [Gill]. Hopefully everything will be tied up by the end of the day. I am sure he will be available for Monday’s game.”

Together with Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez, plus Shinji Kagawa, Ferguson feels he has a group of forwards to rival the class of 1999.

Four best strikers

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke started the Champions League final win over Bayern Munich, while Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came off the bench to score the goals.

Ferguson added: “If you go back to 1999 season and we had Dwight and Andy and Teddy and Ole Gunnar - the four best strikers in Europe - and we are getting back towards that now. “We have got Chicharito, we have got Wayne, we have got Robin, we have got Danny Welbeck and we have got Kagawa. That is a fantastic combination of players. Hopefully I pick the right combinations.”

Ferguson was speaking as Manchester United announced a three-year partnership with bwin, now the club’s official gaming partner.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said yesterday the Gunners were left with “no choice” but to sell Van Persie to United.

“He is at Manchester United, unfortunately for us. The transfer was finalised in the afternoon,” said Wenger while working for the French TV station TF1.

“It’s never great to lose players of that quality but he only had a year contract so we do not have a choice.

“We have already recruited since we bought [Olivier] Giroud and [Lukas] Podolski who originally were intended to offset the departure of van Persie,” he concluded.

By signing Van Persie, not only did Ferguson want to add potency and pace to United’s forward line, but to show he simply wouldn’t allow arch rivals Manchester City to have everything their own way, on or off the pitch. “In recent years if City have wanted someone they’ve got him,” United legend Gary Pallister said.

“The move for Robin van Persie shows not only can United still compete with City’s vast wealth, but they can attract players away from City because of everything the club and the manager stands for. “Van Persie wanted a club with tradition and heritage. United will always have the edge over City when it comes to that and this is the kind of signing that could send a message out and a player who will excite the fans.”

Van Persie is a romantic and sees United as a club of history and tradition, similar to Arsenal and his original team, Feyenoord. The Dutchman has told friends he is flattered that Ferguson has coveted him for so long and likes the thought of working for the 70-year-old.

The thought of working alongside Wayne Rooney, the league’s second top scorer last season, was also a factor.