Victor Valdes signs for Manchester United

Manchester United have completed the free transfer of former-Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes

Manchester United yesterday completed the free signing of former-Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes, who had been training with the club for the last three months as he recovered from a cruciate ligament injury.

The 32-year-old has now signed an 18-month-deal with the Red Devils, with the option of a further year.

Honoured

The Spanish international keeper told the press: “It is a real honour to sign for Manchester United.

I would like to thank Louis van Gaal and the club for allowing me to do my rehabilitation and to train with the team at the Aon Training Complex.

“From my short time here, I can already see this is a very special club. I worked with Louis van Gaal during my time at FC Barcelona and to have the opportunity to work with him here at Manchester United is a dream come true.”

Competition

Valdes has been brought in to add back-up and competition for first choice David de Gea. The keeper has matured into a very good keeper over the last few seasons and Valdes has even described the former-Atletico Madrid star as ‘the best goalkeeper in the world’.

Danish keeper Anders Lindegaard is now likely to move on with such strong keepers ahead of him in the pecking order he is unlikely to ever see much action at Old Trafford.

De Gea

United boss Louis van Gaal was very clear that Valdes is currently regarded as number two keeper. David de Gea is first choice, but the signing of his compatriot should really keep him on his toes.

The 24-year-old could benefit a lot from Valdes experience and his professionalism throughout his career. The former-Barcelona star has been there and done it at both club and international level, so De Gea could not have anybody better to learn from.

De Gea has just 18 months left to run on his current United contract and there had been speculation linking the Spanish international with a move back to his homeland with Spanish giants Real Madrid. However, a number of the British tabloids are now claiming that De Gea is close to signing a new deal with the Red Devils.

Shrewd

The signing of Valdes is a very shrewd one by United boss Van Gaal. Valdes was underrated at Barcelona for many years, but just got on with his job collecting silverware, which included winning 21 major trophies.

In truth he was a very safe pair of hands for the Catalan giants, even if he did not get the credit he deserved sometimes.

Valdes is a good keeper to have in your squad, even if it is just for his winning mentality after spending so many years in such a fantastic Barcelona team.

It makes you wonder whether some of the other Premier League clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool have missed a trick by not making a move for Valdes. Both are reportedly on the lookout for a new keeper and here was a very good one available on a free transfer, albeit out injured for a few months.

Building

United boss Louis van Gaal has gone about the rebuilding team in a very considered manner. The Dutchman has spent big money, but he shows with this deal that it not all about spending money, it is about adding quality players to the United squad and making it stronger.

Van Gaal has worked with Valdes before and the signing shows the calibre of player a big name boss can attract. It is highly-doubtful that predecessor David Moyes could have pulled this deal off. That is why United needed somebody of the profile of Van Gaal at the helm to attract high-calibre players.

Direction

Signing Victor Valdes shows that Manchester United are moving in the right direction and that last season was just a blip under David Moyes. Louis van Gaal looks like the right man to move the club forward.

Will Victor Valdes be a good signing for Manchester United?