Robin van Persie's "impossible" Arsenal comeback opposed by Arsene Wenger

Robin van Persie joined Arsenal in late April 2004, but if he had it his way he'd have enjoyed a second debut with the club 11 years later.

The Dutchman was purchased in the eyes of many to be the successor to Dennis Bergkamp's throne, but he actually ended up having a similar impact to club record-goal scorer Thierry Henry, although Van Persie's star shone bright for far less time than the Frenchman's.

The forward's eventual Arsenal exit to Manchester United and the subsequent fall-out is well-documented. The rage from certain sections of Arsenal fans continues to boil to this day, particularly over Van Persie's comments once the move had been finalised.

The ex-Feyenoord star insisted he listened to the "little boy inside of him" who was crying out for the move to Old Trafford. Those remarks went some way to tarnishing what was at times a stunning Arsenal career littered with individual genius.

Having spent plenty of time on the treatment table in North London, particularly in the first few years - Van Persie hit supernova levels of form during the 2011/12 season. Coming to terms with the departure of Cesc Fabregas, the Netherlands international took it upon himself to carry the club's fortunes on his back.

Named captain after the Spaniard's departure to Barcelona, Van Persie's goal-scoring almost single-handedly fired the Gunners into the Champions League after a season-long battle with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

In 38 Premier League games, the then-Gunners skipper fired in 30 goals and 13 assists. His tally across all competitions is even more impressive, with a further seven goals in the FA Cup and Champions League combined.

Over the course of the season, Van Persie started to make first-time over the