New United duo bring bloom of youth
Alex Ferguson does not believe his team's chances of landing the elusive Champions League crown will be affected by his decision to revamp his squad this summer, in a bid to bring down its average age.
The United boss unveiled the latest additions to his squad yesterday, confirming the £18 million captures of Kleberson and teenage sensation Cristiano Ronaldo.
Of his five summer purchases, 24-year-old Kleberson is the oldest, while experienced duo David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron have been allowed to leave.
However, by ditching Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis to make way for Beckham and the rest of the class of 1992 seven summers ago, Ferguson has already proved he has no qualms about giving youth its chance.
And despite their lack of years, Ferguson feels the new boys have the experience to carry them through.
"The age of the squad is something you have to pay attention to," said the Red Devils chief. "You do not want a team going over the hill together.
"I know there is some statistical evidence that you only win in Europe with older teams, but the team which won the Champions League in 1999 was quite young, and the age group is much the same now.
"The presence of Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs will be important, but everyone has a different type of experience, and most players can go a lifetime and never appear in a World Cup final which is what Kleberson has already done.
"At 18, Ronaldo has gained the experience of playing at the highest level in Portugal, so I don't see that as a problem either."
While Kleberson has been attracting the attention of major European clubs since he burst onto the international scene early last year, it is the arrival of Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon which has really set tongues wagging.
At £12.24 million, the youngster is the most expensive teenager in British football history, and also the proud owner of the number seven shirt vacated by Beckham and worn by Eric Cantona and Bryan Robson.
While Ferguson does not see his squad number as symbolic, the Scot insists he has enough talent to shoulder the burden of stepping into Beckham's shoes, claiming he has as much ability now as the England skipper had at the same age.
"There is no question his talent compares with Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes at the same age," said Ferguson.
"It will be a big year for him and it would be wrong to think he can go through it all playing in the first team, but I do see him as being ready for the Premiership."
United were alerted to Ronaldo's talent by former assistant boss Carlos Quieroz 12 months ago. Since then they have completed a development agreement with Sporting.
The initial idea was to let the striker remain in Portugal for another year, but his own insistence that the deal be made immediately, plus the failure to land Ronaldinho, changed the plan.
And any lingering doubts over his potential were swept away last Wednesday when the youngster ran United ragged in Sporting's 3-0 friendly triumph in Lisbon.
While Ronaldo offers valuable support to free-scoring Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, Kleberson's arrival appears to signal the beginning of the end for skipper Roy Keane.
The Irishman remains a vital member of the current United squad and will lead his team into their opening Premiership encounter with Bolton at the weekend.
However, Ferguson knows Keane's injury-ravaged body could pack up at any time, and appears to have landed the perfect replacement in the Brazilian enforcer.
"Kleberson won the World Cup for Brazil last summer," said Ferguson.
"His positioning in midfield was vital. They are so fluid in their football, they need someone to stabilise the team. He was that man."
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