LONDON: Arsenal's Robin Van Persie was announced as the footballer of the year by the Footballer Writers' Association (FWA). The announcement came a week after the Dutch won the prestigious Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) award.

The FWA comprises an approximate number of 400 football journalists, who cast their vote in order to decide the footballer of the year. Van Persie made it up as a favourite amongst the likes of Wayne Rooney who was voted 2nd, Paul Scholes (3rd) and Clint Dempsey (4th). The Arsenal striker would receive the FWA honor at a gala dinner at the Lancaster London Hotel on May 3.

The Dutch National has scored 27 Premier League goals this season - his best performance for Asrenal.

Van Persie joned the Arsenal Football Club in 2004 when Arsene Wenger acquired him from  Feyenoord. The Dutch National was usually played as a second striker until the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor.

FWA chairman Steve Bates stated, "Robin was the overwhelming choice of our members this season and deservedly so after a magnificent campaign for Arsenal."

"The considerable size of his majority in the votes cast by our members reflected the general view that he has been the season's most outstanding individual performer", he further added.