EPL: Van Persie slams former Arsenal team-mate over Wenger criticism

Robin van Persie has slammed Per Mertesacker’s criticism of Arsene Wenger, labelling the legendary Arsenal manager a “great coach”.

Mertesacker played alongside Van Persie for a season, before the Dutchman signed for Manchester United in 2012.

The German centre-back went on to represent the north London club for seven seasons and is now manager of the Arsenal academy.

Mertesacker wrote about his time playing under Wenger at Arsenal and criticised the Frenchman for having too much faith in his squad.

Van Persie has hit back at the comments in Mertesacker’s book, claiming the German can “say what he wants”, but that he remembers Wenger’s legacy differently.

“My opinion at first is that loads of ex-players are making a book, it’s sort of fashion to write a book, which I will personally not do. That is his opinion, he can have that.

“I’m not really going into that. He can think what he wants,” Van Persie told the Daily Mail:

On Wenger, he added: “I worked eight years under him, he gave me chances. On a private matter, he was always open to chat to me about life and as a person as well, and as a coach he was great.”