Robin van Persie has handed in a transfer request and wants to leave Manchester United in January - according to Match Of The Day pundit Mark Lawrenson. Lawrenson made the claims on Sunday and said that members of the press had leaked the news to him, with the Dutchman reputedly handing in the request last Tuesday. The former Liverpool defender said:
"One or two of the press boys that I know who cover Manchester United, they're even saying that the big whisper is that Robin van Persie might have asked for a transfer the other night on Tuesday."
van Persie returned to the United fold in the league defeat to Newcastle after a four-match layoff with injury and manager David Moyes had previously been dismissive when asked when the former Arsenal man would be back. The Scot even had to deny rumours that he had fallen out with the striker back in October, when it was reported the player was unhappy with some of the methods introduced by Moyes after replacing Sir Alex Ferguson. With United currently struggling through one of their worst ever starts to a Premier League campaign, having lost back-to-back home games at Old Trafford, news that van Persie may be angling for a move is the last thing the club needs right now. And if that is the case, Moyes is going to have to being in a replacement - considering Wayne Rooney has also yet to sign a new contract - and here's 5 we had in mind.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
