Robin van Persie: Man Utd striker in Turkey for Fenerbahce talks

Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has arrived in Turkey before his proposed move to Fenerbahce.

The 31-year-old received a hero's welcome upon his arrival in Istanbul on Sunday as he was met by cheering crowds and posed with the club's scarf.

Van Persie joined United for £24m from Arsenal in 2012 but struggled with injury last season, scoring 10 goals.

"I am coming to a fantastic and wonderful club," said Van Persie. "It is a great honour for me."

Fenerbahce said on Thursday they had entered into negotiations with United over the Dutchman, who has one year left on his contract.

Ex-United team-mate Nani joined Fenerbahce, runners-up in the Super Lig last season, for £4.25m last Monday.

Fenerbahce tweeted this photo of the Dutchman with the caption: "Robin van Persie has started the trip to Istanbul"

He received a hero's welcome at Istanbul airport

Van Persie posted this shot of himself in the cockpit of the plane. "Ready for take off," he wrote on Twitter

The departure of Van Persie, who scored 26 goals in the Premier League as United won the title in 2012-13, would leave boss and fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal with just two fit first-choice strikers in Wayne Rooney and James Wilson.

Colombia forward Radamel Falcao, who spent last season on loan at Old Trafford, has joined Chelsea while Javier Hernandez is recovering from a fractured collarbone.

Recent £31m signing Memphis Depay, though primarily a winger, can play a central role. He finished last season as the top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie with 22 goals for PSV Eindhoven.

While Fenerbahce seem confident that a deal will be completed shortly, on Friday Van Gaal refused to confirm Van Persie was on his way out of Old Trafford.

Asked whether he was looking for a another striker because Van Persie was leaving, Van Gaal said: "When we feel we can say he is gone you shall hear it from Manchester United. We don't have the feeling yet."

Van Persie is the Netherlands' all-time top scorer with 49 goals in 98 games, a tally which includes his superb diving header in their World Cup opener against Spain in 2014.

His career in England began when he joined Arsenal from Feyenoord in 2004 for £2.75m.

He scored 132 goals in 278 appearances for the Gunners and has netted 58 times in 105 games for United.

Robin van Persie scored 30 goals in all competitions during his debut season for Manchester United in 2012-13

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