Bought for just £3million from Feyenoord Rotterdam, Van Persie has proved to be one of the steals of recent years and claims he could become the 'new Bergkamp' may not be wide of the mark.
Van Persie started his career in the Excelsior Rotterdam and Feyenoord youth teams, being capped for the Holland Under-19 and Under-21 sides in the process.
In January 2002 he signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Feyenoord and was drafted into the first-team squad because of injury problems at the age of 18.
Van Persie got his first taste of silverware in May when he played in Feyenoord's 3-2 UEFA Cup final victory over Borussia Dortmund at the De Kuip and his performances earned him the accolade of the Dutch PFA's Best Young Talent for 2001/02.
By 2005, Van Persie had emerged as a target for PSV Eindhoven, Werder Bremen and Sevilla, but it was Arsenal who won the race and he made his Arsenal debut in the Community Shield victory over Manchester United.
He continued to grow in confidence, but hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in February when sent off against Southampton after the red mist descended.
The player had more troubled at the end of the season when he was arrested upon suspicion of rape back in Holland, which resulted him spending time in jail while investigations were carried out. But no charges were brought against the star.
The young Dutchman went from strength to strength in the 2006/07 season and ended the season as the club's top goalscorer, despite being injured from February onwards with a broken metatarsal.
Failing to return to match fitness for the rest of the season, Van Persie's season was disrupted by injury, although he enjoyed a fairly successful time at Euro 2008 with the Holland side.
While his control and trickery have earned comparisons with fellow countryman Dennis Bergkamp and he continues to be thought of as one of the best prospects in the Premier League, Van Persie has yet to prove himself competent of playing an entire season injury free.
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