With former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie returning to Feyenoord late yesterday evening, Keith Wyness has confirmed he was an option for Aston Villa but we decided against proceeding with a deal.
The 34 year old returns to his boyhood club in the Eredivisie 14 years after leaving the side and he was available on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract at Turkish side Fenerbahce.
With our chief executive holding a phone in on Radio WM last night and presumably because van Persie was in the news, Wyness confirmed that he had been on our shortlist of potential captures before ultimately deciding against it.
The Birmingham Mail took a transcript of his comments, and here’s what Wyness had to say.
‘We`ve been looking at big names. We looked at Robin Van Persie. Players of that sort of ilk. We looked at him, but decided he wasn`t the right type of player. The football. That was the key factor in that decision. We decided not to pursue that probably about two weeks ago. It`s that sort of level – we`ve been scouring Europe, everywhere, for players that can actually make a difference.’
Fans will be torn on this, van Persie’s talent in front of goal is clear to see given the way he banged in goals along his lengthy career but we’ve been stung before on the perceived ‘last pay day’ signings at Villa.
For me, it would’ve been an expensive option and would’ve held back Scott Hogan who I think has a huge future ahead of him. However van Persie’s games to goal tally for Fenerbahce remains impressive, so expensive or not he could’ve helped.
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