Van Persie To Keep No.20 Shirt

Robin van Persie has confirmed he'll continue to wear the no.20 jersey for Manchester United in 2013/14, despite having the option to switch to no.9.

When the Dutchman joined the Reds he said he chose the no.20 shirt because he was determined to help the club chase a 20th league title.

That mission has been accomplished now, although van Persie has told official matchday programme United Review he'll stick with the shirt next term.

"I think I’ll keep it,” he said. “I have the option to take no.9 but I don’t think I’ll do that. I’ll stick with what is right and what feels good.

"Also, I don’t want to be harsh to the fans who have no.20 on their kit. I don’t want them to have to buy a new shirt. It's been a good number for me and now I can at least celebrate the 20th trophy for another year. I’ll stick with it.”

The Dutchman has also revealed he was convinced “from day one” that he would get his hands on silverware this season.

He had only one major honour – an FA Cup winners’ medal in 2005 – to show for his eight-season spell at Arsenal when he joined United. Nine months later and he’s already a Barclays Premier League champion.

Certainly, van Persie’s decision to leave the North London club at which he was captain and talisman appears to have been vindicated.

“I wouldn’t have moved if I’d had doubts. Instead, from day one I was almost certain we’d win trophies – not in a couple of years but this year. I saw the players training, I saw the way they behaved, the way they lived, their mentality, the way the staff worked, the way the manager and the staff acted... When all those elements combine you end up with a team of champions."

Van Persie speaks in detail in Sunday’s matchday programme about winning the league, his potential Golden Boot and that sensational strike against Aston Villa.