Portuguese invasion continues apace at Old Trafford

Portuguese starlet Brandao grateful for Ronaldo help

Manchester United’s young Portuguese striker Evandro Brandao has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo has been helping him settle in at Old Trafford.

The 16-year-old joined the Premiership champions a little over a year ago, making the switch from Walsall during the early stages of last season after a successful trial.

When asked about his relationship with United’s senior trio of Portuguese speakers – Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson – Brandao said: “Cristiano Ronaldo is like an older brother. He’s always asking me how I am, giving me words of support and asking if he can help.”

“My relationship with Anderson is the best. He is the most relaxed of the three, and perhaps also because of his age, we are closer.”

Brandao, who shares a similar hairstyle to the young Brazilian, then spoke of occasions on which the Red Devils fans have confused the pair. “People used to call out to me, ‘Anderson, Anderson’, and I had to explain to them that I wasn’t him,” Brandao said.

“But this doesn’t happen anymore. Many already know who Anderson is and also who Brandao is. The United fans are usually well informed and know all the players from the senior and junior teams. When I go to the games at Old Trafford, the fans come up to me asking if I am Brandao and how I am playing.”

Youth coach encouragement

The young Portuguese’s hopes of one day making the grade at The Theatre of Dreams received a boost when under-18s coach Paul McGuiness said that the club had positive hopes for Brandao’s future with the club.

“Evandro came to us late from Walsall, which is obviously a different environment from Manchester United, but we hope he’ll develop rapidly,” McGuiness said. “He’s essentially in his first full year with us, so once he settles, I’m sure he’ll do really well.”

Meanwhile, as the Portuguese speaking contingent at United shows signs of further expansion, English press reports have suggested that the club could be prepared to use Brazilian twin full-backs Rafael and Fabio in a deal to secure Sporting midfielder Miguel Veloso’s signature.

The 17-year-old pair are due to arrive in Manchester from Fluminense in January and the Sunday Mirror claims the twins could be offered to the Lisbon club on an extended loan deal as a sweetener in negotiations for Veloso, who has been strongly linked with United in recent months.