Robin van Persie's reaction to Sir Alex Ferguson retiring a year after transfer

23 January 2024 , 02:00

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Robin van Persie won the 2012/13 title under Sir Alex Ferguson

Robin van Persie was "almost in tears" after hearing that Sir Alex Ferguson was leaving his post as Manchester United manager in 2013.

The Dutchman had only been signed a year prior from fierce rivals Arsenal and under the guidance of Ferguson, enjoyed one of the most sensational debut seasons in Premier League history. Van Persie played a starring role as United cruised to a 13th league title under the legendary Scotsman and had the competition wrapped up by late April.

Ferguson confirmed he'd be leaving the club after 26 years with less than a fortnight of the 2012/13 season remaining. United legend Rio Ferdinand has since shed light on what life was life around the club's Carrington training complex in the immediate aftermath of their manager's update.

Speaking to ex-Chelsea star John Obi Mikel on the Obi One Podcast, Ferdinand explained: "The WhatsApp messages started getting crazy the night before the news hit the media. And in the morning, everyone is texting each other that the manager is leaving.

"I’ll never forget the moment. The air almost sapped out of the changing room, and everyone just looked at each other." The former West Ham and Leeds defender continued, recalling how Van Persie reacted to the news.

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"I remember that Robin Van Persie signed because the manager was there, and I remember looking at him straight away, and he was almost in tears. Although he’s had hardly a season with the manager, he adored the gaffer. The guy was gobsmacked."

Van Persie himself has since admitted he asked Ferguson how long the Scotsman intended to stay while negotiating his own exit from Arsenal, but refused to answer whether he'd have joined United in the first place had he known the manager would leave after a single season.

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Sir Alex Ferguson and Robin van Persie spent just one season together at Man Utd

"I did ask him the question how long his intentions as to stay and he said three years so that was in my mind when I decided to make the move from Arsenal,” the Dutchman told Planet Football in 2019.

"Would I have changed my decision if I knew Sir Alex would be leaving at the end of that season? It is a good question and one that I can’t answer.

"He was one of the big reasons why I signed, for sure. He was a legendary manager and you could see from the moment I walked into the club that everything was working perfectly under him."

Van Persie did go on to make clear that while news of Ferguson's departure was a shock, he does not feel lt down by the man who brought him to the club after forking out £24million in 2012.

Josh O'Brien