Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted he would have preferred to have sold Robin van Persie to Paris Saint-Germain rather than Manchester United.
The Netherlands international striker is set to seal a €30 million (£24m) switch to the Red Devils and may move in time to make his debut on Monday in their Premier League opener against Everton.
While the player travels to Manchester to discuss terms and undergo a medical, Goal.com exclusively revealed the astonishing £73m package that United used to entice the Gunners skipper to Old Trafford.
Wenger revealed he was frustrated to lose the 29-year-old to a division rival and admitted he would have rather sold him to a foreign club.
Wenger told French TV station TF1: “We wanted to avoid that at all cost, but we weren’t able to.
“Honestly, I’d have preferred to sell him abroad, to PSG, for example, over Manchester United.
“They have the advantage of having played against him and knowing his great class. He’s truly an exceptional player in every sense of the word.”