Van Persie cools Serie A link

The Dutch international was pictured with his wife at a cafe and in Rome last week, sparking rumours that he was set to make the switch to the Serie A.

However, the 31-year-old insists that his time in the city was nothing more than a holiday.

''All the rumours about Rome as a city are true: it is a beautiful place,” Van Persie told Voetbal International.

''I have a life away from football and I always wanted to visit Rome with my wife and this was our chance. We enjoyed it very much.”

The former Arsenal forward has been heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford after enduring a poor 2014/15 season in which he scored just 10 goals in 27 Premier League appearances.

Van Persie's position at the club could be put into further doubt if manager Louis van Gaal decides to bring in striking reinforcements, with Van Persie himself admitting that club is likely to spend big in the off-season.

He declared: "United spent £200m on players last year and they are going to spend another £200m this summer so we will have a team that can compete for the title."