ROBERTO MANCINI HAS revealed that Manchester City came close to signing Robin van Persie in the summer, before the Dutchman decided to go to Old Trafford instead.
While Mancini has never made any secret of his interest in the former Arsenal striker, he has only now revealed how close City were to signing him.
“We wanted Van Persie because we knew he could be an important player,” he said.
“He is totally different from our other strikers. We wanted him for the Champions League and for the Premier League.
“We were very close. We were sure he was for us but this did not happen and now we can do nothing. We were very close three or four months before he joined United.
“I think Van Persie, for United, is an important player. It is clear he changed this situation. In this moment, the difference is this.”
Van Persie adapted to his new surroundings straight away, and has scored 14 goals in just 20 games for United so far this season.
