Top-selling official EPL player jerseys

Robin van Persie’s popularity at Manchester United since joining from Arsenal in the summer is demonstrated by news that his is the best-selling official Barclays Premier League shirt in North America this season.



Figures released by Sporting ID, which produces the names, numbers and sleeve badges of the Barclays Premier League, show that the United forward, who has scored 11 Premier League goals so far, leads his United strike partner Wayne Rooney, who was found to have had the best-selling shirt in the League’s history. In third is Chelsea striker Fernando Torres.

"North American soccer fans support the Barclays Premier League as fanatically as anywhere else"

Robert Thayne

United States striker Clint Dempsey is the biggest mover, rising to sixth after his move from Fulham to Tottenham Hotspur in August. Dempsey is the first US player to make the top 10 in North American sales.

"North American soccer fans continue to support the Barclays Premier League as fanatically as anywhere else, often waking at 4am to catch games on TV," said Sporting iD’s global sales and marketing director Robert Thayne. "Players like Van Persie, Eden Hazard, Clint Dempsey, Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere are top-class players playing for the biggest clubs in the world and their fans in North America are really no different than the ones who live in the UK.

“They are clearly showing their support of these players and their club by personalizing jerseys with official Premier League player names, numbers and sleeve badges.”



Top-selling official Barclays Premier League player jerseys in North America : -



1. Robin van Persie (Manchester United)

2. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

3. Fernando Torres (Chelsea)

4. Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

5. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

6. Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur)

7. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

8. Javier Hernandez (Manchester United)

9. Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United)

10. Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)

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Kagawa named as Asia's best overseas player

Shinji Kagawa has been named the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) International Player of the Year after a sterling 12 months with Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United.

The 23-year-old edged out Inter Milan's pacy full-back Yuto Nagatomo and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for the inaugural trophy, which is given to the best player based outside the AFC region.



A key player in Dortmund's league and cup "double" last season, Kagawa joined Manchester United for an initial fee of £12million during the summer amidst much fanfare.



He has shown glimpses of his mercurial ability for United this term but has not featured for Sir Alex Ferguson's men since the end of October due to a knee injury.



Ulsan Hyundai forward Lee Keun-ho won the AFC Player of the Year award for players based within the region.



The 27-year-old, who was briefly linked with Blackburn Rovers in 2009, was instrumental in leading Ulsan to the AFC Champions League title this season.


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Kagawa and Powell set for United tour

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that new signings Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell will join Manchester United on their pre-season tour of South Africa and China.



Shinji Kagawa Dortmund action

GettyImagesShinji Kagawa will pull on a Man Utd shirt for the first time



The duo are two of the few certainties for the tour, with several players set to be rested after Euro 2012 while others, including Ryan Giggs and David de Gea, are set for Olympic action.



Besides those absentees, Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling will not be considered due to injury, and Darren Fletcher has been sidelined long-term with a bowel complaint.



"It's obviously very difficult in a year when we have had a Euro tournament and we also have the Olympics this year,'' said Ferguson. "The final squad hasn't been decided yet but we will be taking the strongest team we have available.



"We are all looking forward to the pre-season tour. I am delighted that our new newest signings, Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell, will be in the travelling squad along with more established players such as Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Ji Sung-Park.''



Ferguson added: "I have always said how important it is to get a good pre-season behind us. We saw the impact a good pre-season had on the start of last year's campaign.''



United have announced a fixture with Barcelona in Gothenburg on August 8, but are still waiting to announce a second fixture for their time in China. It has already been announced that they will play against Didier Drogba's Shanghai Shenhua side in the other fixture in China.



In other news announced by the club. Maurice Watkins has stepped down from the board of Manchester United after 28 years at the club.



Chief executive David Gill said: "Maurice has been a source of calm, measured advice and someone who always has the genuine interests of the club at heart.''



Meanwhile, 21-year-old Northern Ireland international Oliver Norwood has rejected the club's offer of a new contract to join Championship side Huddersfield, signing a three-year deal at the Galpharm Stadium.

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