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On this day: Arsenal unveil Robin van Persie

Eleven years ago today, Arsenal confirmed the arrival of a 20-year-old Robin van Persie from Feyenoord.

On the list of Arsenal's top 10 goalscorers of all time, just two of those that feature were not born on English shores.

Unsurprisingly, one of those is French forward Thierry Henry, who leads the way with 228 goals from his 376 appearances for the Gunners.

The other is Robin van Persie - the Dutch striker that was unveiled as an Arsenal player 11 years ago today.

The North Londoners had announced the signing of the 20-year-old from Feyenoord for a undisclosed fee a couple of weeks earlier, but it was not until the end of the Premier League campaign that he could be registered.

The youngster, who had helped Feyenoord to win the UEFA Cup in 2002, had been tipped as a long-term replacement for compatriot Dennis Bergkamp and his arrival also cast a major doubt over the futures of Nwankwo Kanu and Sylvain Wiltord.

Speaking about his capture, manager Arsene Wenger said: "Robin is a great young talent and a fantastic signing for the club. He has shown great potential at both club and Under-21 international level and will help strengthen our squad considerably.

"He has a great left foot and is a great passer of the ball with excellent vision. He is a versatile player and is comfortable playing as a striker or on the wing. We are all looking forward to Robin joining us for pre-season in July."

Meanwhile the player himself added: "I'm delighted to be joining a great club like Arsenal. This is a dream come true for me. The squad is full of players at the top of their game, which they have proved by winning the English Premiership last Sunday.

"I'm looking forward to meeting all my new teammates in the summer and helping the club to challenge for more honours."

In his first season in England, Van Persie helped Arsenal to win the FA Cup, but injuries held him back until 2010, when he became a regular member of the starting lineup.

In total, Van Persie found the net 132 times in 278 appearances for Arsenal, before he angered many of the club's supporters by leaving for domestic rivals Manchester United in the summer of 2012.

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Francesc Fabregas of Arsenal celebrates scoring the 5th goal during the Carling Cup fourth round match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Highbury on December 2, 2003
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