The current Feyenoord coach commented on his failed move to Barcelona in a Dutch podcast.
Van Persie, now away from the pitch and sitting in the dugout, is the current coach of Feyenoord. The former Dutch striker, who played for Manchester United and Arsenal, is remembered in Spain for that fateful 2014 World Cup in which the national team was eliminated in the group stage after winning the World Cup in South Africa, and that iconic header he scored against Casillas in a match that ended 5-1 . He recalled an anecdote about his failed move to Barça.
In SEG Stories, a well-known Dutch podcast focused on the stories of Dutch athletes, the Feyenoord coach, along with a privileged cast of sports figures such as Erik Ten Hag , current coach of Bayern Leverkusen , and Kevin Strootman , former player of Olympique de Marseille and Roma among many others, had a conversation focused on their sporting careers. One of the most curious topics that came up at such a distinguished table was a thorn in Van Persie's side at the end of his career: having played for Barcelona.
The Dutchman confessed his dream of wearing the Barça shirt. “ I always wanted to play for Barcelona . In 2015 , when I had been playing for Fenerbahçe for a few months, Kees ( his agent at the time) told me that Barcelona was talking about me. It was a very real option.” To his regret, his wish didn't come true. “After a while, he called me and told me it wasn't going to be possible . It didn't happen. The truth is, I really wanted to join them ,” he commented ruefully.
The striker Barça preferred...
In 2015, when Van Persie's signing was looming over Barça, the manager was Luis Enrique , and the attacking trident was made up of the fearsome MSN: Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar, practically nothing . The Asturian coach was looking for a profile that could provide rest for his starting forward line, and the Dutch striker fit that role perfectly. Fenerbahçe, the club where the former Arsenal player played, blocked his transfer due to their high financial demands combined with the player's high salary.
A few months later, a striker with a quite different profile to Van Persie arrived. Paco Alcácer, from Borussia Dortmund, was ultimately chosen by the club's sporting management to fill the role of backup striker. A young prospect who dashed the then 32-year-old Dutchman's dream of wearing the Blaugrana shirt. The Spanish striker played 50 matches, scoring 15 goals and providing 8 assists during his two years at Barcelona.