Who needs Robin van Persie? Well, a lot of teams. Who can afford him? Not as many.

The RVP saga is dragging on. Perhaps you have been taken by surprise and you figured that RVP has already left Arsenal for a bigger and brighter future.

He hasn’t.

Everyone thought it could have been sorted before the Olympics took over our screens and our lives, but with reports today that Juventus are looking to up their offer and start a financial-posturing contest with two of the richest clubs in world football, we can only assume this saga may drag on longer than anyone cares.

Is this wise? I’ve watched enough Homes Under The Hammer to know that you don’t get into a bidding war with someone else. Couldn’t Sir Alex just (…whisper it quietly…) buy someone else?

I know Sir Alex is a huge fan of WhatCulture, so we have compiled five alternative forwards that Fergie should turn to instead;

1. Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva

While not technically a striker per se (… get it? Persie? Nevermind…) 19 year old Lucas Moura has shown enough skill to whet the appetite of a number of potential suitors. He has already made ten appearances for Brazil’s first team and that suggests he could be there for a very long time.

The talented youngster has had the rare opportunity of keeping Sir Alex waiting. Man United have already made a number of substantial offers for this guy’s services, but with Lucas currently plying his trade at the Olympics, he has refused to make any decisions until he has finished London 2012.

Though with a price tag that continues to rise and rise, he will cost much more than RVP, and he isn’t proven in the Premier League. Risky, but if it pays off, it could be yet another master stroke by Sir Alex.

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