Good to go: Young (left) after his medical at the
private Bridgewater Hospital in Manchester
Ashley Young has
completed a £16million move to Manchester United after signing a
five-year deal with the Premier League
champions.
The England winger put pen to
paper after undergoing a medical at Manchester's Bridgewater
Hospital on Wednesday and immediately set his sights on helping
United win their 20th domestic title.
'The opportunity to come and
play for one of the biggest clubs in the world is one I couldn't
turn down,' Young told MUTV.
'It's a chance to hopefully
become part of the history by helping to win the 20th
title.
'It's a prospect I always
looked at from being a child - to play for one of the biggest clubs
in the world.
'I've got that opportunity now
so I've just got to take it with two hands.'
Young becomes Sir Alex
Ferguson's second signing of the summer after the capture of
England Under-21 international Phil Jones from Blackburn for
£16.5million.
A club statement read:
'Manchester United is delighted to announce it has reached
agreement with Aston Villa for the transfer of Ashley
Young.
'The player passed a medical
in Manchester this week and has agreed a five-year
contract.'
Villa signed Young from
Watford in January 2007 in a deal eventually worth £10million and
he went on to score 38 goals in 190 appearances.
Young man: Michael Owen is excited about the
arrival of the England international at Old Trafford
However, he made it
clear to Villa he would not be signing an extension to his
contract, which was due to expire next summer, and the club had
little alternative but to sell one of their prize
assets.
'Ashley has made a terrific
contribution for Villa over the past four and a half seasons and
everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future,' new Villa
manager Alex McLeish said.
'He has become an important
player in the England team during that time and I'm sure he will be
looking forward to this new challenge.'
A deal was put in place before
the 25-year-old flew to Las Vegas on holiday two weeks ago and
United striker Michael Owen has already backed Young to be a great
signing for the champions.
Owen, who committed himself to
United for a further year earlier this summer, believes Young is an
exciting addition for the Barclays Premier League
champions.
'I see Ashley Young has
undergone a medical today. Let's hope everything goes well as he
would be a great signing for us,' he told Twitter.
Rio Ferdinand took to the
social networking site to hail the arrival of his England
team-mate, describing Young as 'another top, hungry and young
player'.
United road: Phil Jones and Spain Under 21
goalkeeper David de Gea are also joining Man United this
summer
Former Old Trafford
favourite Dennis Irwin believes Young will offer the solution to
the missing link left by Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Real
Madrid in 2009 labelling him as a 'real
threat'.
'I think it’s a great signing
and I expect him to be a really good player for us,' said Irwin,
speaking to the club's official website.
'He’s got good ability and is
a real threat from set-pieces, which is something we’ve been
missing in the last couple of years.
'He can play anywhere behind
the front man and his delivery into the box is
fantastic.
'He’s got a real eye for goal
too and, given the opportunity, I think he’ll chip in with a few
goals next season.'
United manager Sir Alex
Ferguson missed out on the signature of Leens teenage defender
Raphael Varane but he is set to continue his summer spending spree
with the prospective arrival of Spain Under 21 goalkeeper David de
Gea.
De Gea is expected to finalise
his switch to Old Trafford following Sunday's European Under 21
Championship final in Denmark with a £17.8m deal in place with La
Liga outfit Atletico Madrid.
