Latest Transfers

Here at Red Half of Manchester, we welcome new signings for the club. More than just to shore up our numbers or improve the team, new signings are always a novelty. We, as fans, relish the opportunity to watch new players run out for the club, evaluate their performances, and anxiously wait to see if the new players will lead the club to glory (Wayne Rooney, Gabriel Heinze, Ruud van Nistelrooy) or, well, crash and burn (Juan Sebastian Veron, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Liam Miller).

Which is why we welcome with glee the news of new signing Nemanja Vidic. Signed on the 5th of January 2006 for an undisclosed fee believed to be about 7 million pounds, the central defender, whom Fergie describes as "quick, athletic, aggressive", has sterling credentials at just 24 years of age.

He was part of Serbia & Montenegro's Famous Four defence that conceded only one goal in the World Cup Qualifiers, and shone in them, which Fergie admitted made him sit up and take notice of him. At Red Star Belgrade, he won the league championship twice in a row before being signed by Spartak Moscow. In a total of 106 games for both clubs, he has scored 16 goals, an amazing statistic for any centre-back, much less our own Rio Ferdinand.

He will hopefully add a new dimension to our leaky defence, as well as being a solid partner for Ferdinand, who, after having a confirmed partner without anymore chopping and changing, will settle down and begin performing up to scratch. Vidic will wear the No. 15 shirt, though Sir Alex has just confirmed that he will not be playing in the FA Cup tie with Burton Albion as he is still undergoing endurance training.

And just today, it has been revealed that Manchester United have also signed left-back Patrice Evra from Monaco (subject to a medical), for a fee believed to be about 4 million pounds, beating off competition from Inter Milan to land the highly-rated 24-year-old. He will fill in for long-term medical room lodger Heinze for the rest of the season, after which he will be a useful cover.

Some info on Vidic from the Manchester United official website here. I'll put up bios and more info on Evra when I get them.

I have just one question: No midfielders yet?!

However the latest rumour is that Fergie is looking to bring Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa to Old Trafford. Watch this space.