Robin van Persie to Chelsea? Or Arsenal?! Why a Fenerbahce split can happen
Could it happen? Could we see Robin van Persie back in London this season? At Chelsea, or... Arsenal?!
He's barely been four months in Istanbul. But talk of Van Persie cutting short his time at Fenerbahce is more than simply fantasy football.
From Turkey to London. From Barcelona to Feyenoord. Van Persie 's struggles at Fener have reached everyone in Europe - and alerted every major club.
So much so, that Fener went official last week, releasing a statement declaring RVP was not for sale. "We are not going to sell Van Persie and he will not leave," declared the Turks amid claims Fener were ready to part with the Dutchman as they prepared to welcome Fred from Fluminense in January.
It was the Catalan press which kicked it all off. With Robert Fernandez, Barca's sporting director, admitting they were seeking a 'Henrik Larsson-type' for the winter transfer window, Van Persie was soon being mentioned as a target.
The story gathered legs as both De Boer twins, Frank and Ronald, also formerly of Barca, were happy to tout Van Persie's credential to their former club.
"In a good team, he always comes into his own," said Ajax coach Frank.
"He can be a target man, but he is also great at running with the ball. So he could perform there (Barca) very favorably. Van Persie can certainly perform well in such company."
In Holland, it was even floated that Feyenoord had made contact with Van Persie's minders about a stunning return to Rotterdam. Martin van Geel, the club's technical director, was forced to deny the claim. However, there's been nothing similar coming out of the Nou Camp.
Meanwhile, back in Turkey, alarm bells were ringing when Kees Vos, Van Persie's agent, was spotted in Istanbul. Vos met with Giuliano Terraneo, Fener's sporting director, with the cover story being he wanted to discuss Van Persie using his own doctor and being allowed to leave the country to visit the physician. However, local media sources claimed Vos had just come from a summit with Fernandez - and delivered Barca's offer to Terraneo.
So where has it all broken down for RVP? Well, you need look no further than Vitor Pereira, Fener's globetrotting coach.
The Portuguese and Van Persie have butted heads since the striker's arrival from Manchester United. The Dutchman hasn't been afraid to complain publicly about his treatment. And nor has Pereira been concerned about hurting Van Persie's ego when explaining his selection process.
At the heart of the stand-off is Pereira's concern over Van Persie's ability to get through 90 minutes. Only twice this season has Van Persie played a full game. Even yesterday, where he scored in victory at Mersin, Pereira hooked him on the hour mark. That was three minutes after the striker had scored. It was his sixth goal for the club.
There's a growing feeling that this is becoming personal between the pair. Pereira has stated he felt Van Persie arrived from United underdone. But that was in August. The questions about his relationship with Fener's star man are now beginning to grate.
Asked about his decision to hook Van Persie yesterday, Pereira, even after a win, refused to answer the journalist's question. But he's not the only one getting stroppy about the whole situation.
This has hit Van Persie on the international front, where he's been dropped by Holland coach Danny Blind. Back home, they're asking why he made the move.
Before the Mersin game, Van Persie was approached by one Dutch journalist about whether Blind would be selecting him if he was playing for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
"You've obviously done your homework," snapped RVP, sarcastically.
"Fenerbahce is Turkey's biggest club with Galatasaray. The fans, the budget, the ambitions are among Europe's leading teams. I think you have not asked yourself any of these questions!"
But for all the protests, several sources in Istanbul say Barca are waiting in the wings, adamant that meeting between Vos and Terraneo had nothing to do with a doctor, but about getting Van Persie out of Turkey. After all, injuries haven't been an issue for the 32 year-old since his arrival.
If all parties do decide to cut their losses, Barca won't get a clear run at the Dutchman. Van Persie was last week linked with a return to London - not to Arsenal, but Chelsea.
For all the best intentions, the Radamel Falcao experiment hasn't worked. The Colombian, on-loan from AS Monaco, will be leaving Cobham in January. Should he become available, is there a better option than Van Persie available to Jose Mourinho?
Unlike Falcao, the Dutchman knows the Premier League inside-out. He knows how to score at that level. And his experience will mean a seamless transition. As Frank De Boer said, he can lead the line, just like Diego Costa, or play off the Spain international. And he'll be relatively cheap. It'll just be about Roman Abramovich covering his wages.
Chelsea need goals to get into the top four. And the fans need a lift. Van Persie has the potential to deliver on both counts.
But what about Arsene Wenger and Arsenal? If the opportunity came up, would Wenger really pass on bringing his former captain back to the Emirates?
It would be the stuff of football legend. The man who left Arsenal to win the Premier League, returns to finally break the club's title drought. Could there be a better script? The question, though, is how would Gooners take it? Is the relationship beyond repair?
For the time being, Van Persie is playing it cool. For all his problems with Pereira and Blind, he can take comfort that he is still a wanted man.
"Look, it's been fun," he insists. "The atmosphere every week in the stadium is great. And I've made a lot of new friends.
"But you never know how it goes in football. I've learned that you can't really plan for anything..."