Premier League - Van Persie 'could return in April'

PA Sport - Wed, 24 Feb 16:51:00 2010

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk claims Robin van Persie could be back in action at the start of April after receiving a positive update on the Arsenal forward's recovery from an ankle injury.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Arsenal Robin van Persie - 0

Van Persie's club believe the 26-year-old will be back at the end of April, rather than the start of that month, and only if everything in his rehabilitation goes to plan following ligament damage suffered in November.

Both scenarios represent a decent outcome considering the fears of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger at the time of the injury, with the Frenchman stopping just short of writing off Van Persie's chances of playing again in the campaign.

"I spoke to him on the phone last week and he is improving all the time and feeling better," Van Marwijk said.

"You can hear it in his voice that he feels he is improving. I hope that he will play at the beginning of April and he feels this is maybe possible."

Arsenal physios are set to travel to Holland in the coming weeks to check on Van Persie's progress.

Wenger had given Van Persie a new role this season, as the central striker in a front three, which resulted in eight goals before he suffered the injury that required surgery in Amsterdam.

Arsenal have clearly missed Van Persie but are still only six points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea - and his return could help them set up an exciting finish to the season.

Van Marwijk will be closely monitoring Van Persie's progress ahead of the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

"He is a very important player for me so it is very important for me that he is fit," he added.

PA Sport

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  1. hope to c you soon VPERSE.

    From Pious, on Sat 20 Mar 10:47
  2. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    let him return he has no effect man united will still­ scrue them

    From charles, on Fri 26 Feb 8:19
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Whether he's back or not Arsenal will still­ struggle to hold 3rd spot, those who think Arsenal will­ win the league must come from Pluto....

    From , on Fri 26 Feb 5:47

  4. He's totally injury prone. He'll get injured in­ time for the world cup.....

    From chol m, on Fri 26 Feb 5:33

  5. God please heal Van Persie. Gunners need his services­ to carry the premier

    From prince, on Fri 26 Feb 3:19

  6. I wish him well and hope him back for action­ ASAP.There's only one van Persie!!!!!

    From Kah Wai, on Fri 26 Feb 0:48

  7. why did he is the one who announce about the news and­ not mr wenger?

    From afiq, on Thu 25 Feb 20:15

  8. No Brain has some good common sense on very rare­ occasions!! He posts everywhere but he does like to rub­ it in with Arsenal.....I am not sure why....!! Maybe­ all the united and Liverpool fans and some Chelsea­ fans, look for glory at any price, I started seeing­ some wise United fans want the Glazers out!! After it­ was all said and done they realized that those trophies­ are not worth the money they spent to buy them.....I­ don't see eye to eye with AW on all his moves but I­ can tell you one thing for sure....We are paying our­ players around 1 million pound a week and the rest of­ you are paying around twice as much or even more­ each....we are in third place only few points behind­ the top two teams and our best striker is out for the­ rest of the season!! So the fear is not from today, it­ is from what this team can do tomorrow.....!! The­ Liverpool/united teams are owned by Americans and they­ are doing a great run on both teams, loading them up­ with debt in front of our eyes.....I can go on­ explaining how you use debt to buy out companies and­ load them with it only on the hope of squeezing more­ equity out of them but I want….so for half the price we­ are in third place!! Oops I almost forgot to mention­ City & Totty

    From ru4real, on Thu 25 Feb 18:10

  9. R.V.P WE MISS YOU!!! Get better and return soon!­ you're still in top 3 goal scorers. Arsenal can win­ this title we survived this season with out main­ striker and now we just have to finish without­ mistakes. Good luck gunners!

    From Max, on Thu 25 Feb 14:48

  10. RAFASCRACKINGUP you are a @#$%.

    I dont think Van­ persie will be fit to play Wenger wont rush him.­ marwijk is a manager not one of the Arsenal medic­ staff. Although he should be if he can get a medical­ analysis from a conversation.

    From Flut F, on Thu 25 Feb 14:42

  11. It certainly is good news but I dont think we should­ raise our hopes too much as RVP's been out a long­ time and that usually means a groin injury when­ he's back on the pitch and he certainly wont be up­ to where he was - good luck RVP I guess you're­ lookng to be fit for the world cup not The Arsenal!!

    From Goonergirl, on Thu 25 Feb 14:36

  12. ..if the FA were to be fair, that is...

    From Dale, on Thu 25 Feb 10:48

  13. Nice stats Habanero...please preach it to them,­ especially the fact that they may be going through a­ winding-up pretty soon.

    From Dale, on Thu 25 Feb 10:47

  14. One stat you won't like Half A Brain is that Man­ Utd have been relegated from the top flight 4 times­ during Arsenal's 91 year unbroken tenure in the top­ division - 1922, 1931, 1937 and 1974 I believe?

    You­ may beat 91 years reign in 2065 if you are not bankrupt­ before then, but we will most probably be the first­ club to spend ONE CENTURY playing top flight football.

    From Habanero, on Thu 25 Feb 10:42

  15. Dale... I totally agree with you about Half A Brain....­ I wonder if he is a typical Manks Utd supporter....Not­ from Manchester and never been to Old Trafford!!!!!

    From gooner658, on Thu 25 Feb 10:23

  16. Half A Brain is right (the name I mean)... Manks Utd­ may have beaten us twice this year, but have lost to­ teams they should not have, like the toffee boys, who­ may I remind you we stuck six past up there... We­ shall see who is above who at the end of the season....­ And as for the EPL well we shall see what we shall­ see!!!!!

    From gooner658, on Thu 25 Feb 10:20

  17. I think a strike force of Arshavin, Van Persie and­ Chamakh will be solid for next season.

    From Dale, on Thu 25 Feb 10:11

  18. Arsenal winning the whole thing may be laughable to­ some, BUT OVERTAKING Man U for second is definately­ do-able.

    From Dale, on Thu 25 Feb 10:08

  19. Half A Brain, you are constatntly on Arsneals page, yet­ you are a Manchester United supporter, anyway, the­ season is yet to be over, one thing i'm confident­ about is Man U WILL NOT BE WINNING THE EPL..FACT!

    From Dale, on Thu 25 Feb 10:04
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    gooner658, please remind me when was the last time you­ won the EPL? who is ahead of the other, Man United or­ Arsenal? and what was the result of the last game­ between the 2 teams? You have the nerve to challenge­ United when you have all stats against you..

    From Half A Brain, on Thu 25 Feb 10:01
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