Sir Alex Ferguson knows exactly what it takes to win titles. Over the past 25 years, the Manchester United manager has done just that time and again, and the signing of Robin Van Persie from rivals Arsenal, will turn United into the favorites for the English Premier League title.
Ferguson has gone into overdrive in trying to seal the capture of last season's top scorer in the Premier League. If Van Persie does indeed come to Old Trafford, which according to widespread reports is looking increasingly likely, United will have last year's top two players in the same team.
A striking line-up that has Van Persie and Wayne Rooney is sure to send a shiver down some of the Premier League defenders' spines. Both Van Persie and Rooney are extremely mobile and capable of inter-changing at will. While one can play the lead striker's role, the other is equally capable of playing just behind the striker. That fact that both forwards can perform in either role, is what makes the partnership potentially lethal.
Rooney left no doubts about how much he would like Van Persie at United, because he knows having a player of the Dutchman's caliber can only make the former Everton striker a better player; and that works both ways too, with Van Persie definitely aware of the advantages of playing with a striker of Rooney's class.
Ferguson is acutely aware of the quality needed to win the league, with Manchester City going from strength-to-strength and Chelsea considerably increasing their quality in the squad this season. Arsenal have also bought in international caliber players and, even if they lose Van Persie, look like they could be capable of mounting a challenge for the title.
Ferguson, so far, has been left extremely frustrated this summer, after losing out on Eden Hazard to Chelsea and Lucas Moura changing his mind to sign for Paris St Germain, after reportedly agreeing a deal with United.
While Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell have been brought in, there is still considerable room for improvement, with a central midfielder to ease the burden on the evergreen Paul Scholes also seemingly a priority.
However, a Rooney-Van Persie partnership can light up the Premier League, and the Red Devils have plenty of depth in the squad in the striking department with the likes of Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov, although the Bulgarian is expected to leave the club.
Ferguson is capable of keeping even a decent team in title contention, but adding Van Persie and a central midfielder of class will make them into a formidable unit. Ferguson reportedly put in a personal call to Arsene Wenger to try and persuade the Frenchman to agree to sell their striker to United, and if indeed both clubs can come to an agreement, the chances of United and their fans winning another Premier League title will increase considerably.