Sir Alex Ferguson was understandably delighted to agree a deal with Arsenal for Robin Van Persie, and believes he now has the best strikeforce in Europe and a quartet similar to the famed one of 1999.

With Van Persie coming to Old Trafford, in the Dutchman and Wayne Rooney, Ferguson has the two best strikers in the English Premier League and along with talented youngsters Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez; the Red Devils have one of the most formidable attacking line-ups.

Van Persie completed a medical on Thursday evening and will officially put pen to paper on Friday, with the prolific 29-year-old expected to go straight into the United line-up for their first game of the new Premier League season against Everton on Monday.

"Wayne Rooney and Van Persie are fantastic players and it's great to have both of them," Ferguson said. "It gives us more strength and combinations up front.

"Going back to the 1999 season, we had (Dwight) Yorke, (Andy) Cole, (Teddy) Sheringham and (Ole-Gunnar) Solskjaer, the four best strikers in Europe.

"We're getting towards that now with Wayne, Robin, Chicharito and Danny Welbeck. It's a fantastic collection of players. I just hope I pick the right combinations.

"It's great to have a player of Van Persie's quality to come into the squad as it is. I'm really pleased.

"I'm sure he will be available for Monday's game."

United midfielder Tom Cleverley welcomed the signing of Van Persie and believes he will form a great partnership with the rest of the strikers, especially Rooney. "This is the first I've heard about but, if he comes, he will only strengthen us," Cleverley said.

"He is an exciting player to link up with as a midfielder. He just adds to our goalscoring ability with Welbeck, Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov.

"I've admired him at Arsenal, he is a world class player, a goalscorer and is proven in the Premier League. All those three things will help us.

"I think Rooney and Van Persie were the top goalscorers in the Premier League last season and hopefully they can score as many this year."

Welbeck, who will see his starting chances diminish at the arrival of Van Persie, was also pleased. "We're all delighted," the England striker told talkSPORT.

"He's a world-class striker and he's got major ability. He can change games, score goals and create them also.

"He's only going to help us in the title race."