Robin van Persie: Adnan Januzaj could be the BEST young player on the planet

28 Oct 2013 22:30

The youngster is up there with the best of them according to RVP, who describes his Manchester United team-mate as being a 'very big talent'

Top talent: RvP says Adnan can be the best

Getty

Robin van Persie has hailed Manchester United team-mate Adnan Januzaj as one of the finest young talents he has ever seen.
Januzaj has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in Europe and his electric performances this season have earned him a lucrative new five-year contract with the champions.
The 18-year-old scored twice on his first Premier League start at Sunderland to help United to a 2-1 comeback win, and his introduction against Stoke on Saturday helped David Moyes's side come from behind again to win 3-2.
Januzaj is set to start tonight's Capital One Cup fourth round tie against Norwich at Old Trafford and has been paid the ultimate compliment by United striker van Persie, who hailed him as a "special" talent destined for great things.
"He's a great player and I'm a great fan of his," said van Persie. "I thought earlier in pre-season that he has something special.
"Over the years I've seen so many young players and I can honestly say that of all the young players I've seen he is right up there in the top one or two.
"He's a special player. He will give Manchester United a great bunch of goals and great games."
Belgium-born Januzaj has already become a target for rival defenders, with United boss Moyes wanting referees to give the young attacker the protection he needs from the inevitable rough treatment that has come his way.
Moyes described Januzaj as one of the most level-headed young players he has worked with, and van Persie echoed his boss, claiming the teenager has the temperament and maturity to handle his new-found stardom and profile.

Adnan Januzaj on the run

John Peters

  Van Persie, 30, also said Januzaj reminded him of himself when he was the same age when he was starting out on his career in his native Holland with Feyenoord, his first professional club.
"He's confident in a good way," said van Persie of Januzaj. "He's not too bothered with the whole occasion or the pressure of the games.
"When I go back 10 years when I was quite young I see similar attributes.
"I was very confident as well and I see some stuff in him and the choices he makes that I made when I was younger as well.
"He's a very big talent and he will be looked after by the staff and players here.
"He's not the new Van Persie, he's the new Adnan. Everyone is their own player."
Januzaj came in for some rough treatment from Stoke's players when he came on for the last 32 minuets of Saturday's 3-2 comeback win at Old Trafford.
But United boss Moyes said there was no way Januzaj would be bullied out of expressing himself on the pitch and said the youngster has the courage to deal with such treatment:
"If ever there was a boy who can take it, it'll be him," said Moyes. "You just hope the referees give him the correct protection, and I am sure they will.
"But he won't be moaning about it. He's a great lad and he'll bounce up and get on with it. You can kick him as hard as you like, it won't affect him."
Although van Persie will be given the night off tonight, the United forward said he was relishing resuming his burgeoning partnership with Wayne Rooney when the champions travel to Fulham on Saturday.
Despite plundering 30 goals in his debut campaign with United last season, van Persie's much-vaunted strike partnership with Rooney never took off, with the latter suffering a series of injuries, as well as being played out of position and dropped at times by former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
But van Persie and Rooney appear to be developing more of an understanding this season and the Duthcman said he was looking forward to the pair striking up a genuine partnership up front.
"Wayne's a great player," said van Persie. "In my opinion good players can always player together and I think we showed that again [against Stoke].
"We showed it last season, we showed it earlier this season and hopefully we can keep showing that because we do want to play together.
"But don't forget Chicharito, because he's a great player. He's a real role model to all footballers. He works so hard, I'm a really big fan of his.
"He showed it again [against Stoke]. He came in and scored the winner, so we need all of the strikers."

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