Most of the best clubs in Europe, including Chelsea and Real Madrid, have been linked with one of the pair at some stage over the past few months.
But a flying visit to Portugal by Red Devils chief executive David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant Carlos Queiroz has proved exceptionally fruitful.
Fees have been agreed with the players’ respective clubs - FC Porto and Sporting Lisbon - and personal terms have also been sorted out.
All that remains are the medicals and, in Anderson’s case, a work permit, before the formal conclusion of the transfers are announced.
With a deal to sign Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich virtually done and dusted as well, Ferguson has not allowed the grass to grow under his feet since United were crowned champions earlier this month.
Ferguson suggested he was after at least three new players to bolster his squad.
But no-one expected him to act so quickly, with the overall fees for all three men likely to exceed the £40million mark, the first major cash splurge since Malcolm Glazer’s controversial buyout almost two years ago.
“Manchester United is delighted to announce it has agreed terms in principle with FC Porto and Sporting Lisbon for the purchase of the registrations of Anderson and Nani,” said a club statement.
Procedures
“Personal terms have been agreed and a formal announcement will take place once the necessary administrative procedures, including medicals, have been completed.”
Anderson has been one of the most sought-after young talents in the game since he was crowed player of the tournament in the 2005 World Under-17 Championships.
The Brazilian teenager, who has established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in the Portuguese League, has been named by national coach Dunga in a preliminary squad for this summer’s prestigious Copa America.
United have been tailing Nani for some time but appeared to have been thwarted in their attempts to sign him when it was suggested the 20-year-old was ready to extend his stay with Sporting.
However, the proposed contract remained unsigned, allowing Ferguson to step in and snap up the Portugal international.
Ferguson will cross his fingers and hope his new arrivals enjoy the same kind of success as the last player he signed from Portugal, footballer of the year Cristiano Ronaldo.
Their arrivals should certainly help Ronaldo feel at ease, particularly if the winger’s friend Gabriel Heinze is sold this summer as expected.
It is certainly an astute piece of business by Ferguson, who realises two of his main attacking stars, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes - while outstanding this season - are reaching the end of their careers.
With Hargreaves on board as well and the likelihood of a big-name striker being signed, United have signalled a statement of intent for the new campaign.
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Two in the bag. Now lets go for the final piece in the jigsaw and buy a goalscorer!Btw i never saw anderson play before. Could anyone of you tell me how good he is?
This sounds like a better (more versitile player) move for MU than Nani ... however if they can retain his (Nani) contract and loan him back to Sporting like I have heard that would be a great move ... even if the sell him down the road.
Quality and we signed Nani too! what an evening, beats the soap awards any day!!!!!
Thats good news. I've never seen him play but I've heard that he is a very exciting player. BBC Radio 5 have just announced that we have also reached agreement on a fee for Nani. If true we have picked up 2 wide players and I am hoping that this means we may see Ronaldo play some time up front as a partner for Rooney.
wooo!!
exciting stuff. Nani's signature has been confirmed too.
have heard very little of this anderson though. looks set to be a possible long term replacement for scholes/giggs. good to see SAF is actually addressing that this time.
Klaas would nicely complete the set!
yesssssssssssssssssssss,what a day! im absolutely delighted,bye bye richardson!, unreal stuff, for the first time i really do see the importance of carlos quiroz!
Wow! This feels like doing 0-60 in 2 seconds! There we all were wondering how long it'd be before the next signing, if any, and like buses, along come two at the same time (three, with OH next week). Looks like Utd are going with youth then (okay, not counting OH). I wonder whether there will still be further signings, or does Fergie see Anderson as capable of filling in as a striker, or in the hole, covering for Scholes? Hopefully this will also further bed Ronny into Utd...
Woohooo!!!
I've actually seen more of Anderson than I have of Nani. Sen-fricking-sational talent. He's been hailed as "the next Ronaldinho" for a while now, and with good reason.
Unbelievable double signing. Happy days. No wonder Queroz looked like the cat who got the cream in those photos from Lisbon!
Im still in shock. This is so overwhelming. Two great talents snapped up in the blink of an eye. WOW! Man Utd can really move fast when they want to.
really is a great night to be a utd fan -ronaldo, rooney, anderson, nani, scholes,hargreaves and a new striker!! - move over chelsea, its time for utd to dominate again - looks like we have paid 30 million+ for the 2 combined - bit of a rip off as usual, but im not complaining, just delighted at the minute!
Anderson seems to be a left winger and Nani a right winger. It would therefore mean Ronaldo and Rooney playing up front for the forthcoming season. Or will we still be in the market for a proven goalscorer?
Unreal. It should be against Fifa regulations for any one club to have Ronaldo,Rooney,Rossi,Anderson and Nani at any one time. Add to them Pique and Evans plus OH Carrick Scholes Rio Vidic Evra and the best young Keeper in Europe in Foster and we are seriously laughing !! What a day. Alias stick your stupid away argument and your graph up your backside I couldnt care less. Treble anyone !!
Anderson could well be the new Scholes (yes he's that good). He'll need time to adapt to the EPL and I hope the fans give him that time. Very excited by United signing him and can't wait to see him in the team. Wonder who'll be the incoming striker? Nice that Mr Gill has stuck to his word this summer (well that's if all 3 deals don't end up getting hi jacked by other teams). Nani a superb prospect, but may struggle in EPL, can be a bit lightweight, but very fast and has good feet.
I LIFT MY HAT. Anderson is a super player, he was injured since they met Benfica and up to that point he was at a different level. plus you also signed Nani, I would have rather Quaresma but you got a player with an huge potential. Will be funnier to watch United next season. Go for Berbatov now.
Good luck guys.
Rmours that Nani might spend another year at Lisbon on loan. Which might make sense.
Anderson though, bloody hell, he could fight for a place on the first team of any team in Europe, he's really THAT good. Happy days!
Let's not get carried away re: Anderson...remember another talented Brazilian by the name of Kleberson? I am excited by the signing, but I feel like we've been down a similar road before, only to be disappointed. United's track record with South Americans isn't the best (even considering Heinze)...
Incredible! Anderson and Nani are both great talents with a lot of potential.
This shocked the hell out of me. I know we were linked to Nani but not Anderson. Hats off to Gill and the Glazier's for putting this together.
I have to admit I have been sitting on the fence regarding the Glazier's, I never thought they would spend the money. Glad to see that I was proven wrong.
So lets finalize the Hargreaves deal and think about a striker if we still need one.
Chris
Canada
Genuinely exciting news and the antidote to last summer's transfer let-down. Talented, exciting young players bought quickly and decisively - I really didn't see this coming!
As a Manchester United, I am so delighed to hear that you have reached the agreements with Nani and Anderson.
Finger Crossed, Alex to land Ajax striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto. One or two defenders to come in.
how many of you rags have even heared of him
No way. United can't do this to us! I was just getting ready to get settled in for a long summer of bemoaning our incompetance in the transfer market. But if this is true, the club can spend the rest of the summer navigating the dicey waters of getting a striker. It would sure be nice to have the luxury to meddle in the tranfer business of some other clubs, for a change, and maybe pip a big name before the end. I still favor M.Owen as a last gasp fallback if we get to the end witout support for Saha. And we have all summer to see how he progresses with the national team and to judge his fitness. Come on Reds. Make it happen!
I bet all of us here felt like we did when they announced we signed Larsson on loan.. Completely out of the blue, BAM!! 2 new signings.. The club has got to stop playing around with us, I don't feel my heart can take this type of shocks anymore..
And just to put things in perspective, we STILL haven't signed Hargreaves yet... It's gonna be one helluva different United side next season..
nani,anderson,ronaldo we should be the most exciting team in europe.bye bye richardson,fletcher.bring on berbatov...........
Yes, Anderson, is that goog, take a look at this video, it's frightening, he looks like Ronaldinho, but at only 20. Great years ahead for us, well done Carlos Queiroz and David Gill. Now Etoo'o would the ice ont he cake
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2007/05/30/manchester-united-sign-next-ronaldinho/2261.html
this is absolutely brilliant. I cant believe it! i have heard £17m for both - i doubt both outright payments though. I'll be suprised if we buy anyone else id be happy to see ron moved up top with wazza! COME ON!!!!!