Manchester United Transfer News: Robin van Persie Sale Eyed, Gerard Pique Warned

Manchester United are prepared to sell Robin van Persie in the summer as a means of bypassing the £10 million loyalty bonus owed to him at the end of his four-year contract.

Paul Smith of the London Evening Standard details a tricky situation for the Red Devils, who owe RvP a massive payout at the conclusion of next season:

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The 31-year-old former Arsenal star stands to land an additional £10 million in loyalty bonuses if he sees out his four-year contract at Old Trafford. But indifferent form and concerns over his fitness have led United to embark on a search for his successor with Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani and Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller both on the radar.

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Van Persie's recent form suggests ditching him ahead of time may be a smart idea. He has scored just three in 10 starts this season.  

More worryingly, the Dutchman appears isolated upfront and often fails to keep up with United's attacking play. His movement is lacking, there's no clever runs, and his clinical nature in front of goal has disappeared. Van Persie currently averages 2.7 shots each appearance, his lowest of any campaign since 2009-10.

The striker's failure to produce an assist best sums up his dismal performances. United have driven their play down the wings and through Angel Di Maria this season, often leaving Van Persie anonymous in the middle. Louis van Gaal's arrival was meant to reignite his fellow Dutchman's form, but RvP's overall quality is currently the weakest of his Old Trafford tenure.

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Saturday's Premier League tie with Arsenal would be a perfect time to change that. Sky Sports highlighted his form against former United man Danny Welbeck ahead of the fixture:

Van Persie has three goals against the Gunners since moving to United and desperately needs to hit the mark next time out, especially considering United's makeshift defence are expected to struggle with the speed of Arsene Wenger's side. Taking advantage of chances will be key to wrapping up three points for either club.

United continue to be linked with a slew of defensive winter signings and need to hold out until January arrives. Gerard Pique is said to be a target for the club, per Bruce Archer of the Daily Express, and he could soon be pushed to the Barcelona exit if his reported misbehaviour continues at the Camp Nou.

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Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu recently commented on an incident, per 8TV (via Marca), which allegedly saw Pique argue with police over a parked car, not to mention his use of a mobile phone in the Catalan club's dugout: "He knows what we think. These things shouldn't happen. I hope that this is the end of it, because players should be focused on their job."

Football writer Jonathan Wilson told B/R UK's Ryan Bailey another powerful defender could be prioritised by Van Gaal instead:

United are just two points off the Champions League places. This is encouraging considering just how poor Van Gaal's men have played in matches against Swansea City, Burnley and Leicester City. A rapid improvement is needed if the team is to snatch a spot among the European elite.

Van Persie's form will be crucial to this. United would be four points worse off without his strikes this season, highlighting how important an in-form RvP is to the side's cause. An increased output from the experienced forward would galvanise the entire team, even if he's destined to be cast aside before the pitfalls of old age permanently limit his game.

Stats via WhoScored.com unless otherwise noted.