Even though most supporters thought the signing of Robin Van Persie would have been Sir Alex Ferguson’s last piece of business for the summer, it looks as though this is not going to be the case. Reports are now suggesting that Vitesse Arnhem defender Alexander Buttner is set to join United, with the player describing the switch as a “dream come true”.
The deal certainly appears to have slipped under the radar, with few outlets even speculating about the transfer over recent months. In fact, most people assumed that the player was going to join Southampton, with Vitesse announcing just last month that they had reached an agreement with Saints for the player. However, after that deal collapsed, Sir Alex Ferguson looks to have swooped to sign the 23-year-old.
While foreign reports can sometimes be unreliable, the fact that Buttner himself has announced the move suggests that it is almost a done-deal. Speaking to Omroep Gelderland, the player said, “This is truly a dream come true. It all went very quickly and I am of course very happy.”
It would be fair to say that Buttner is one of the Netherlands’ rising stars and even though he did not participate in Euro 2012, he was at least included in the provisional 36-man squad. His club form is certainly impressive and having made 107 appearances for Vitesse, he already has a decent amount of experience to his name. United supporters may be wondering just where the player will fit in though, with his preferred position being left back. While Buttner can also slot in on the right side, most people assumed that United were already strong in these positions.
Nevertheless, while reports in Belgium are suggesting that the deal is all but complete, neither club has officially announced the move so it remains to be seen if Buttner’s dream move will occur.