Where's Bale? Van Persie leads Premier League shirt sales... but £87m Real Madrid target fails to make the top 10



Robin van Persie enjoyed a memorable debut campaign for Manchester United after winning the Golden Boot en route to the Old Trafford club regaining the title from rivals Manchester City.



And now the Holland international can claim to be the most popular player in the Barclays Premier League after selling more shirts around the globe than any other star from England's top flight.

But one glaring omission from the top ten best-selling names is that of Gareth Bale, tipped to be the most expensive player in world football.



Dutch of class: Robin van Persis sold more shirts last season than any other player from the Premier League

TOP 10 PREMIER LEAGUE SHIRT SALES IN 2012/13

1. Robin van Persie (Manchester United)

2. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

3. Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United)

4. Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

5. Fernando Torres (Chelsea)

6. Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

7. Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

8. Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)

9. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)

10. Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)



Real Madrid are set to fork out a world-record fee of £87milllion for the Tottenham superstar but, according to these figures at least, Bale's heroics for the North London outfit last season didn't leave much of an impression on fans around the world.



Van Persie instead leads three United players at the head of the list with England international Wayne Rooney, the subject of a £25million offer from Chelsea, and Japan superstar Shinji Kagawa rounding out the top three.



Sergio Aguero is Manchester City's only representative in the top ten with Chelsea's Fernando Torres and Eden Hazard also featuring.

Missing: Gareth Bale (left) failed to make the top 10, but Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero was the highest ranked non-Manchester United player



Luis Suarez's on-pitch controversies failed to detract from his global appeal with the Uruguay international the only Liverpool player to make the list.



Arsenal's failure to win a trophy in eight years hasn't appeared to dampen their profile in world football with Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla rounding out the top 10.



Earlier this season, Van Persie stormed to the top of the shirt-sales league in the UK with 25 per cent of punters wearing the Dutchman's strip.

Global appeal: Arsenal stars Jack Wilshere (above) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made the list

'Robin van Persie is a world class footballer and his stunning performance has seen him become one of the most popular players in the Premier League,' said kitbag.com chief executive Andy Anson.

