Steve Bruce Reveals Aston Villa Turned Down Opportunity to Sign Robin van Persie This Month

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has revealed that he turned down the chance to sign former Manchester United and Arsenal striker Robin van Persie in the January transfer window.

Van Persie completed an emotional homecoming move to his boyhood club Feyenoord, following an underwhelming spell with Turkish club Fenerbahce.

However, there was a chance that Van Persie could have returned to England, only to play second tier football with Aston Villa.

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Steve Bruce has revealed that he turned down the chance to sign the Dutch international because he already has enough players in their thirties and the former Hull manager is becoming ever more concerned about the average age of his current squad.

He said (via Birmingham Mail): "He was wanting to come out of Turkey and we looked at it long and hard. It's not often you get the availability of somebody like Robin van Persie. At the moment, with what we've got in that position and the amount of 30-year-olds we've got I just decided that it's better we look elsewhere. I wish him the best of luck. It was an interesting couple of days!"

Bruce is still hoping to bring a striker in the January window as his side sit in fourth position in the Championship, just three points outside the automatic promotion places.

Villa have been linked with a move for Leicester City outcast Leonardo Ulloa, but the club chiefs are anticipating business going right down to the very end of the window.

Bruce is adamant that he wants personnel to compete with Scott Hogan and Keinan Davis during the second half of the season, but for now that person will not come in the form of Robin Van Persie.