Despite an indifferent start to Manchester United's current campaign, reports suggest Robin van Persie will be offered a new deal to stay with the club.

Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star writes that the Netherlands captain is being lined up for a two-year contract extension that will keep him with United until 2018, with his current deal expiring after next season.

RVP has failed to live up to his star billing during recent times after winning the Premier League with the Red Devils in his first season. Last year, Van Persie spent much of the season on the sidelines, plagued with a string of injuries that kept him out of the squad. 

Louis van Gaal's arrival as the new manager of United prompted many to believe Van Persie's form would hit the heights once more, but that has failed to materialise. 

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News recently commented on Van Persie, saying the criticism he has received since Van Gaal's arrival is deserved:

Van Gaal spoke about his striker's lack of form and the expectations he has for the player, per ESPN.co.uk:

I shall expect a lot of him. But a striker is also dependable also on his team-mates more than any other position. For me, a striker is more than only a man who has to make goals. He has to be an attacking point, so we can play in the third and fourth phase of our attack.

That is not only to make goals. He can also make assists or create the pass before the assist. That's how I judge players and especially strikers.

Van Gaal has constantly tinkered with his system over the past few weeks, and United has not produced the kind of consistency one would expect. It has clearly affected Van Persie, who has just three goals from his 10 Premier League outings, per Squawka.

The arrival of Radamel Falcao has put pressure on the Dutchman not felt in his two years in Manchester. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, RVP was very much the alpha male of the team after his surprise arrival from Arsenal—but that is not the case in 2014.

The mercurial attacker no longer looks as sharp as he once did, which could be down to a number of factors.

The obvious one is that his aging years are catching up with him. He is still only 31 years old, but the number of injuries he sustained with the Gunners during his time in north London may now be rearing their collective head.

Another issue is Van Persie's lack of mobility—something that certainly will not be improving in the latter years of his career.  

In the penalty area, Van Persie's movement is still relatively sharp, feeding off the service to feet and from the wings.

But his lack of pace does not allow United to break with any great speed, and this will hamstring Van Gaal's natural tactics to attack fast. 

However, Van Persie does bring with him a level of knowledge and experience that is rare in England. He is a top striker who has played the vast majority of his career in the Premier League, and the natural skill he possesses is wonderful to watch.

James Wilson has just broken into United's first team, and playing as RVP's deputy will be hugely beneficial to the young attacker as he works and learns from him. 

If United give Van Persie his contract extension, it will be of little surprise. United are short of leaders, and RVP has that element in abundance. As captain of Arsenal, he often dragged the team back in dramatic fashion, and he showed against Chelsea that he can still score hugely important goals.

Much depends on whether Falcao is a success at United, but it would be wise to keep Van Persie at the club for the immediate future.