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The Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie went to see the controversial “placenta cure” clinic run by Marijana Kovacevic in Serbia soon after being told of the extent of his injuries, but now says that with the new diagnosis there was no hope of it being successful.

But he doesn’t regret the visit, despite it obviously being a waste of time.

Van Persie said: “In the area of torn muscles and partly torn ligaments she has treated players in the majority of cases with success. A number of Liverpool and Chelsea players have all benefited from her treatments. They were all back on the pitch in a very short time.

“As I was enjoying a fantastic period with Arsenal and the first official diagnosis from the doctors was that I would be out for six weeks, I wanted to bring that period back to three or four weeks.

“But the ligaments in my ankle were completely ruptured. That’s why the treatment in Serbia, we know now, never had the chance to be successful from the start.

“I have never wanted to go for alternative medical help before. Normally I am too cool for that kind of thing.

“But because I wanted to grab every opportunity to get fit again and to be back on the pitch with Arsenal, I decided to have a go. If it does not help me, it won’t harm me either. That was my motto.

“I had the treatment methods checked intensively before I went out there. I demanded to know if there was any way it could do any damage. It couldn’t. Which is why I went.

“A lot has been said and written about it. But the method of treatment in Serbia is not a bizarre thing. I did not have anything injected in my body. The treatment was solely on the surface.’’

He didn’t mention whether placenta was involved in the treatment, but at least he doesn’t think it did him any harm.