Antonio Valencia has thanked Sir Alex Ferguson for signing him this summer.

Manchester United swooped to take the winger from Wigan Athletic following the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo, and he has enjoyed a fine debut campaign at Old Trafford.

“I'm here because of Mr Ferguson. The coach insisted he wanted me and that came as a surprise to me,” Valencia told The Sun. "From the first moment I joined, he was clear with me.

“He explained why United needed me. The key to my good form is I receive the coach's confidence. From afar the image of Mr Ferguson appears different to the one that actually exists.

“Some people believe that he does not connect with the players but, really, he is very open and gives you a chance."

Get all the latest news on your club. Visit 360 Football, the best football news aggregator on the web!