Manchester United Transfers: Why Robin Van Persie Could Be a Disastrous Signing

If you look at it through short-sighted glasses, it's the transfer that makes perfect sense.

Thirty Premier League goals, five in Europe, numerous player of the year awards, more than one "Goal of the Season" candidate, the player's seeming preference for the red half of Manchester...and the list goes on.

But for all the accolades and all of the fates seemingly lined up in Sir Alex's favour, the signature of Robin van Persie is one he must avoid at all costs.

Bear in mind that Arsene Wenger is no fool, for all the talk of van Persie being the "Bargain of the Summer," the Arsenal boss will certainly not let him leave for anything less than his valuation.

That means Sir Alex has to shell out close to £25 million to bring him to Old Trafford.

That's £25 million for a player who, until this season, struggled to get through a league campaign uninjured.

Twenty-five million pounds for a player who, turning 29 years old next month, may only have a year or two left at the peak of his abilities.

Twenty-five million pounds for a player whose attitude and commitment have been drawn into question several times throughout this ongoing saga.

Twenty-five million pounds for an Arsenal player.

This all, of course, avoids the most palpable reason for resisting such a move—the fact that United are not short of strikers in their squad and have absolutely no desire to move on any of said strikers.

For if Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez are to develop into the world class players that they've been threatening to, time spent sitting on the chilly Old Trafford bench will certainly not do them any good.

But make no mistake United fans, there is money to be spent, money that seems to be burning a hole in Sir Alex's pocket.

And if Robin van Persie is the player that Sir Alex decides to spend it on, perhaps he needs his short-sighted glasses checked.