Sir Alex Ferguson has tipped new signing Antonio Valencia to make a significant contribution to Manchester United's bid for an unprecedented fourth league title on the trot.
United confirmed their first summer arrival this evening as the 23-year-old signed a lucrative four-year contract.
Although the Red Devils have not specified a fee, it is believed they have spent around £16million of the world record £80million banked from the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo.
And, while it is not expected Valencia will represent the end of Ferguson's spending, the United boss is already tipping the South American to make a big impact.
"Antonio is a player we have admired for some time now, having spent the last two years in the Premier League with Wigan," he said.
"I am sure his pace and ability will make a significant contribution to the team."
If nothing else, Valencia's arrival ensures Wayne Rooney should be given the more central berth he craves next season as the Ecuador star is unlikely to venture into the middle quite as much as Ronaldo.
As he has already gone through the Premier League settling-in period after spending two seasons with the Latics, there are no worries over whether Valencia can adapt either.
His lack of English may be a concern initially, although the main doubt of most United fans is a goalscoring return of just seven in 83 appearances for Wigan and four in 34 for his country.
Even though few would expect Valencia alone to match Ronaldo's phenomenal recent output, better will be expected from a player who spent a short time as a team-mate of former United star Diego Forlan at Villarreal.
Forlan's experience proves players of high quality can struggle to make an impact at Old Trafford, although Valencia is looking forward to the opportunity.
"Joining Manchester United is a dream come true for me," he said.
"I have enjoyed my time at Wigan but I am thrilled to have the chance to challenge for the biggest honours in club football here.
"Playing in front of 76,000 fans alongside players like Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs will be an amazing experience.
"I can't wait to get started."
The first Ecuadorian to play for United will get his first opportunity on a four-match tour of Asia next month, before the Red Devils head for a four-team tournament in Munich.
By the time Ferguson's side wrap up their pre-season programme against Valencia at Old Trafford on August 5 and head to Wembley for the Community Shield showdown with Chelsea, Valencia will have expected to be accustomed to his new surroundings.
Having turned down an approach from Real Madrid, Valencia is clearly keen to make an impact, although it is a measure of the vast sums of money that has been spent at the Bernabeu, what would normally constitute a significant signing - and is a club record for Wigan - is almost being greeted with a shrug of the shoulders.
"I hope the fans at Wigan can understand that I am an ambitious guy and a chance like this might never come again for me," said Valencia, who will be 24 next month.
"I am happy that the club has benefited from the move financially because I owe them such a lot. I have had a great time here."
Your Comments
McFunkalot
"my point was that there was an article about the Glen Johnson 17m transfer about how he was over-priced and while he was a decent player, he's not worth that money; so in the interests of fairness a similar one should be written about Valencia, who is not a better winger than Johnson is a full-back, and cost the same. or is this manyoo365?"
moiseyo
"
i wish people would stop banging on about flops that man utd have brought over the years, it's not as
if other teams haven't brought their own fair share......
Liverpool - cisse, n'gog, babel, keane, voronin, kewell, pongolle, etc
Chelsea - shevchenko, veron, mutu, parker, kezman, etc
so really this is a complete non-argument and besides these flops have won the league 3 years running."
kevLFC14
"McFunkalot Geln Johnson is overpriced but he is also a very good rightback better than Neville, but I don't think his is better than what we already have (Arbeloa & possibly Degen, I will let you know when I see him play) but he is here and the price is refective of the new uefa rule 6 + 5, so he may becomes a bit of a bargain at only 24!!!!!"
Aggerdo
"Forlan a (wo)man utd star, don't make me laugh."
red_til_i_die
"I haven't really seen enough of Valencia to say whether he's good, bad or indifferent. He's not going to replace Ronaldo in terms of goals scored because he's a traditional winger. He may however increase a certain Mr Berbatov's goal tally. Valencia will probably inprove at United because he's going to be playing with better players around him and all the pressure won't be on him to be the match winner like it was at Wigan after Heskey and Palacios left."
freddiemercs
"the new berbaflop, who was the new anderson, who was the new hahagreaves, who was the new carrick, who was the new kleberson, who was the new djemba-djemba, who was the new veron, who was the new taibi, who was the new neil webb, who was the new garry birtles"
mgaffney
"Haven't really seen too much of him so I can't really judge him. But 16m seems a lot for a player who doesn't get too many goals & doesn't appear to have too many assists. Maybe its because he's with Wigan & maybe with a better club he might do better only time will tell."
mufc73
"At last......1st July 2009, we now start to get some action of substance and something that we can comment on that is tangible as opposed to all these rumours that have been circulating since Perez ignited the blue touch paper called the transfer market!
I'll hold reservation about Valencia until he proves his worth, but in SAF I trust as he very rarely gets it wrong (Veron, Prunier, Taibi apart)."
kevLFC14
"good signing but he will never get you 15+ goals a season and with giggs and scholes in your team you need a midfielder that can get at least 15+ a season look at LFC we have Gerrard 16 in prem and 24 overall and Kuyt 12 in prem but 15 overall (he played mainly as a winger last season) Chelsea Lampard 20+, Arsenal Fabregas 3 last season, however the last time they challagened for the title - the season before 13 goals with 23 assists. You need a proper goal threat in the middle of the park, and for me Hargreaves is not a goal threat, Scholes was once but not no more, Giggs is the same, Fletcher has had years to prove he can but he cannot, Nani ha ha ha, and anderson is not made to score. You need Ribery or somene of that type of scoring goal threat."
McFunkalot
"surely this is worthy of an article similar to the recent Glen Johnson one? or when Manyoo sign slightly-better-than average players it's not mentioned."
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