| Birthdate: | 17 Nov 1986 |
|---|---|
| Birthplace: | Cape Verde, Africa |
| Position: | Winger |
| Appearances: | 19 |
| Joined United: | 01 Jul 2007 |
| United Debut: | 05 Aug 2007 v Chelsea (N) |
| International | Portugal |
Highly rated Portuguese winger Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha ("Nani") will aim to emulate the achievements of compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo when he starts his Old Trafford career in earnest.
Nani officially joined United in July 2007 for an undisclosed fee from Sporting Lisbon after being tracked for some time by Sir Alex Ferguson and his scouting staff.
After making his Sporting Lisbon debut at the age of 18, Nani featured 29 times in the league for Sporting in 2006-07, scoring five times. During his time at Sporting he also featured in the Champions League before winning the 2007 Portuguese Cup.
He played for Portugal during the European Under 21 Championship in Holland during the 2007 close season. The Cape Verde Islands born player also earned five caps for the senior side prior to his move to United, scoring on his debut against Denmark in September 2006.
Primarily a left sided player, Nani can also play in numerous other attacking positions.
There are obvious similarities between Ronaldo and Nani. And Nani is tipped to match the standards of 2006-07's PFA Player of the Year.
"He (Nani) is an amazing player, he's an amazing kid as well, he works very hard and has got a big heart," said Portuguese Under 21 team mate Ricardo Vaz Te. "He got a gift from god which is his talent obviously."
Portugal assistant coach Paulo Sousa is another who is backing Nani to be successful in England. "Nani is very explosive and very strong. He's fast and is going to be a great signing for United," he said. "I think that in the next five or 10 years, he and Cristiano Ronaldo can become the best players in the world."
Nani's move to Old Trafford undoubtedly had something to do with assistant boss Carlos Queiroz. Quieroz is credited with
helping Ronaldo settle and improve his game, and he is expected to help out Nani too.
Ronaldo has also promised to help Nani. “I really hope he has the same success as me, or even more, because he’s got the ability to do this," he said. "He’s joining the right club to evolve as a player and as a person.”
Nani is also famed in Portugal for a trademark goal celebration. His back flips graced the pages of the Portuguese tabloids while at Sporting, and United fans will be looking forward to seeing such celebrations many times during the coming seasons.
reference: http://www.manutd.com
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