How Manchester United strikers reacted to Robin van Persie at Carrington last week

Erik ten Hag invited former Manchester United striker Robin van Persie to Carrington last week as the Premier League winner prepares for life as a manager.

The Flying Dutchman joined United from Arsenal in 2012 and was a key figure in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last-ever Premier League title. He scored 30 goals for The Reds that season.

After retiring with Feyenoord in 2019, Van Persie is looking at moving into management. He is currently a coach in the youth set-up at the Eredivisie club and was present at United’s training ground in order to help gain further experience as a mentor.

Ten Hag, as a fellow Dutchman, was keen to bring the 39-year-old to Manchester again to work with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Martial.

“I think it’s always great to have such icons in,” the United manager told the club website. “While he did fantastic here at Manchester United, I think he is also an icon for the fans and our players can learn a lot from him.

“His experience, his skill and he did some exercises with our strikers, they loved it, to be involved him.”

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Van Persie scored 58 goals in 105 appearances for United and secured his one and only Premier League title in his first season with the club after missing out on numerous occasions with Arsenal.

“We want to help Robin van Persie. He is now planning a management career, so we give him the opportunity to look around, get experiences and hopefully, it will help him to construct his career,” Ten Hag added.

“He is really fanatic, and he really consists of the fact he wants to become a manager. He is taking the right steps, and one day, he will be a manager.”

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Benni McCarthy was also brought in at the start of the season by Ten Hag as an attacking-focused coach. Marcus Rashford has explained that the former Porto striker has “helped him a lot” since joining the club.