-Van Persie also bagged a brace during emphatic victory in Salvador
-New United boss Van Gaal could look to reunite the pair at Old Trafford next season
ByCraig Hope
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal need not look beyond his own Holland squad when it comes to drawing up a list of World Cup transfer targets.
For residing within his camp is the one player his new employers are craving. Arjen Robben is the man Van Gaal should elevate to the top of his wish list.
For a winger boasting the Dutchman’s devastating ability to score, create and terrorise was sadly lacking at Old Trafford last season
United are set to significantly invest in a playing squad which slumped to seventh in the Premier League and Robben makes perfect sense; comrade Robin van Persie will no doubt agree.
You only have to look to Friday night’s 5-1 mauling of Spain and his two-goal show as evidence of the star quality so badly needed by the fallen champions.
The 30-year-old was at his unforgiving finest against the World Cup holders. The goal which handed Holland a second-half lead owed everything to Robben’s pace, panache and potency – his turn of foot winning the yard to steal in behind a static Spanish backline, his touch to kill the lofted throughball a thing of beauty and his finish as lethal as any centre-forward could ever produce.
His second, however, managed to better all of that, burning by Sergio Ramos on halfway before rounding a forlorn Iker Casillas and smashing into the top corner in uncompromising fashion. He was then denied a hat-trick when his stunning volley was repelled by Casillas late on.
It was breathtaking stuff and served as a reminder as to the talents of the former Chelsea wideman, now on the books of Bayern Munich and man-of-the-match against United during last season’s Champions League quarter-final victory.
United striker Van Persie had earlier bagged a brace of his own in the Group B opener and the prospect of that pair teaming up in Manchester is a mouth-watering one.
The Spaniards could not live with their movement and ingenuity and, with one of Van Gaal’s prime objectives being to revitalise his skipper at club level, the presence of Robben would no doubt aid such recovery.
Holland’s success rests on the brilliance of the duo and, on early viewing, the unfancied Dutch might just emerge as the surprise package in Brazil.
That could give Van Gaal an extra fortnight to work his powers of persuasion on Robben and convince him that a new challenge awaits back in England.
Robben is very much a disciple of his manager – he joined Bayern under Van Gaal’s charge in 2009 – but will he follow one more time?
sourch : dailymail
