Anderson signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract extension this week that will keep the Manchester United midfielder at Old Trafford until at least June 2015. It’s a remarkable turnaround for the 22-year-old midfielder who, many suspected, faced a bleak future at Old Trafford after injury and temperamental problems stunted his progress.
The question is: can the Brazilian justify the hefty pay rise and lengthy contract?
The new deal is reward both for the player’s improved recent form and recognition that with just 18 months left on his current deal, the Anderson’s value could potentially erode. Indeed, after a cruciate knee injury last February, a spat with manager Sir Alex Ferguson and a rehabilitation programme that involved drinking and crashing cars at high-speed, few backed Anderson to finally come good.
But the player has turned this perception around – at least in part – following several positive performances in the past month. It is a reminder of the talent and energy that the former Porto player possesses, if only he can apply it with more consistency.
Despite seemingly going backwards since bursting onto the English scene three years ago, Anderson will now spearhead United’s midfield for the next five years. It’s a long way from the poor form and dreadful attitude that seemed to infect the player’s time at Old Trafford for the best part of the last 18 months.
Yet outstanding displays in key matches during the player’s first season pointed to a bright future. Perhaps not the creative Ronaldonho-esque Brazilian many United supporters thought they had acquired but huge potential nonetheless.
Yet an exit though was close. In fact had Ferguson not intervened Anderson could have left Old Trafford last winter, with the player absconding to Brazil without permission seemingly in search of a new club and a rash of European teams apparently enquiring about the player.
Ferguson’s now seems vindicated though, assuming the Brazilian can maintain or improve his form of the last few weeks.
“We are delighted he has signed a new contract,” Ferguson told ManUtd.com this week.
“Anderson has developed tremendously since joining us and he has fantastic potential at only 22; he is going to be a really top player.”
Performances of power, energy and some invention have come recently, especially against Arsenal on Monday night, although the old tendency to give away possession still remains. The question now is whether the Brazilian can finally justify both the £17 million fee United paid Porto in 2007 and the £80,000 per week contract that will earn Anderson more than £18 million before it ends.
Certainly the player is now more liberated, with Ferguson deploying the midfielder with less defensive duties than previously – although the oft-aired argument that Anderson is United’s answer to an attacking playmaker is as yet totally unproven. After all, the player has just two goals in a more than 100 appearances for the club and less than a dozen assists in three years.
Still, the player made all the right noises this week, professing commitment where it has not always been forthcoming. Moreover effort on the training field has apparently doubled since returning from injury in September. Proof in Ferguson’s eyes at least that Anderson is central to United’s future.
“This is the best club to be at and I would like to thank everyone for the great support I have received over the years,” said Anderson this week.
“I am looking forward to winning many more trophies with United and I am so pleased to have signed a new contract.”
Empty platitudes perhaps but also a sign, however small, that Anderson is now committed to the long-term regeneration of United’s midfield post Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs even if a question remains over his role.
The player’s recent good form has come with fewer defensive responsibilities even if there is little evidence that Anderson can suddenly become a world-class creative midfielder the misguided hubris of some fans points to.
Yet there is reason to be positive in what Anderson can genuinely provide: pace, power, energy. In an age of false-nines and trequartistas, the Brazilian has all the attributes of an old-fashioned box-to-box midfielder.
Of course, goals remain missing from the player’s repertoire. Just two in more than 100 games for United and a record that does not read any better at international level or with previous clubs.
“He is strong, he can beat a man and has great acceleration from a standing position. He is electric in that sense.
“The area he has to improve is goalscoring,” admits Ferguson.
“He recognises that and all the players tell him. That is his weakness, he doesn’t score enough goals.
“But he is still only 22. He is an emerging player and hopefully in three or four years’ time we will be looking back and saying he has given us goals because he has the ability to do it.”
It might be the difference between justifying United’s £40 million total outlay in five years – or not.
Yet, alongside a couple of high-quality midfield acquisitions come summer 2011 – assuming the club still possesses the “ambition” claimed during Wayne Rooney’s contract negotiations – Anderson could form a pivotal part of United’s midfield for a decade.
I heard it is £70,000k pw coming in at £16.5m. Ando is worth the new 4 1/2 yr deal and is a great player, I have no doubt he will get better and sooner or later start scoring more. I see Madrid wants Chicharito, well Fergie will never sell, Fergie bought Chico for United and Chicharito is the future of Manchester United. Skint little Real Madrid can burn in hell as Chicharito is NOT for sale.
Got to be carefull here! I have written on a few other United forums regards players at United that are becoming isolated and not seen as part of the team.
You know them as well as I.
There is a “collective” danger here!
LOL “A rehabilition programme that involved drinking and crashing cars at high speed”
The key points within the article as i see it are his lack of Goals per games played for United.Not only at Manchester United but in his total career, 14 goals in I think 165 appearances.The majority of these at a relatively low level in comparison to the English Premiership.
However I think if our manager see’s him as the future successor to Paul! Anderson must be given a new opportunity.I personally have never seen what he brings to United. Yes he did have a thrusting driving at the Arsenal defence “hat on” On Monday more of this is required to convince me.I am willing to be convinced my eyes are not closed to him.A great opportunity to further convince me is on Sunday when he will come up against a more steely and formidable midfield in the shape of Essien, Lampard and Malouda.
I like to make the financial comparison in terms of return and value to the team when you consider the purchase price of Rafael £2.5 Million and Fabio £2.6 Million, there is no comparison.Or in fact Nani a similar transfer price, but a much more fruitfull contribution!In fairness to Anderson, Nani did really start producing for United when his contract was extended and clarified.
“This is the best Club to be at” Yeah on having just secured a £80 thousand per week 5 year contract.The poor Lamb.lol
He gets my support to help him turn the corner.He could in my opinion look to loose a bit weight and slink up a bit.
// I have written on a few other United forums regards players at United that are becoming isolated and not seen as part of the team. //
Do the other forums tell you to shut up and go away, too?
all he’s got to do is get the ball and run with it and give it to rooney, over and over
Anderson is a top quality player, in his first season he was amazing and totally dominated Gerrard and Fabregas. Yes he isnt a goal scorer at the moment but he is a great talent, a playmaker and only 22 years of age, he haves plenty of time to develop and here at Manchester United he can do just that. I have seen in some reports that he infact cost €30m, which is like £25m and not the £17m first reported when we signed him in 07. Given time, Ando will get better and add the goals.
I don’t really care if he never scores again… goals are a nice bonus, but they’re not required.
Tell me Mr Mexican Sombero, where are our goals going to come from the midfield, AKA Lampard, Gerrard, Van der Vaart?
Agree with Alf
Would rather see Ando hone his box to box skills more aka winning the ball and playing it, with some Brazilian magic thrown in for good measure
I had forgotten that Anderson was only 22 years of age; he seems to have been around a lot longer; I had written him off after the car crash but as usual, Fergie knows better than me!
United has been waiting a long time for a creative central midfielder; I remain unconvinced; but he’s got plenty of time to prove me wrong; United makes them all do the defensive thing to round off their education and then either lets them off the leash or kicks them out.
This is your big chance Anderson; make it happen!
RedScot – Fletcher, Scholesy, Carrick. Scholes might not be a high scorer these days but he can still get gls, Carrick/Fletcher will net a few, than there are wingers Giggs, Park and Nani, maybe Obertan will score a few who knows, Valencia returns in Feb and he’s goal threat. We might lack that one 20gl midfielder but we do have goal scorers in that area aswll as defence and forward, we arent lacking players who can score. Maybe Cleverley can oneday be that man for us, he is the next breakout star.
I hve total belief in our world class and top quality players and believe Ando will oneday add the vital goalscoring touch. Anyway RedScot, who could you buy that would guarantee 20gls in midfield?
The main difference this year that I’ve noticed is that he’s started running with the ball and committing players in central areas. This development has the potential to become very productive for United as he can make space for others. Provided he can complete the final pass!
Well with the new contract it will be easier to get market value if we choose to sell him. For me he has a lot to prove.
Our future midfield could be Anderson, Fletcher and Cleverley with Nani + Valencia on the wings, Rooney up top.
Plenty of energy there, goals wise there would be lots riding on the two wingers and Rooney. There’s no doubt we need to up the goals from centre mid.
never in any game has anderson been man of the match, i.e., consistently outstanding and no way in hell does he deserve an extension to a contract based on performance since he was signed for 18m
we cannot afford the loss since he is worth 8m max and secondly, our up and coming midfield is not good enough and too light with carrick and scholes being off sooner rather than later
this is pure expediancy by Fergal. Hopefully, Cleverly will get as many chances as this shit-house, and show him the basics of passing, shooting, tackling and even give him some glasses, since unless we are 1-0, he can only run down a blind alley
one performance against blackburn when we were 2-0 after 27 mins when there was space in front of him to “run with the ball” and then getting his midfield shit hour arse kicked out of him in a 4-0 defeat by the hammers?
fletcher carried the midfield against arsenal for anderson to miss an open goal and show us what a great free kick taker he is.
talk about OTT reaction. he is just loaning that midfield berth for Cleverly and / or a proper footballer. he must look at park, fletch and carrick, and think i am really shit.
danni, r u sure u watched the arsenal game properly? i think most people made Anderson man of that match
and the keeper made a great save. anderson did exactly the right thing, trying to lift it over a charging keeper. the keeper was just too good
i agree that he probably doesnt deserve a new contract given up till a month ago, he’s been anonymous/injured for more than a year. but i guess fergie is just trying to show him that he has a lot of faith in him. and if ando develops properly, he could be a world class attacking midfielder that we so badly need
Agreed. Anderson was clearly MotM.