When Anderson arrived at Old Trafford from FC Porto in summer 2007 he wasn't exactly a household name. But after a wondrous debut season the Brazilian's talents became well known not just in Manchester, but around the world.
The early Ronaldinho comparisons were inevitable given both players began their careers at Brazilian side Gremio, who Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliveira (to give his full name) joined at the age of just five.

But that’s really where the similarities end. Where Ronaldinho is all flicks and flamboyance, Anderson (or Ando as he is known to his team-mates) is bustling with energy and possesses

an eye for a defence-splitting pass. He has skill and technical ability in abundance, but his preference for midfield combat could bring you to question his Brazilian roots (more so if you spotted his dancing after lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy in May 2008!)

At Gremio, Anderson made his first appearance aged just 16. He is most fondly remembered for a wonder goal against Nautico in November 2005, which earned a 1-0 win and promotion back to the top flight. He also earned a reputation internationally, shining with Brazil at the 2005 U17 World Cup, where he won the Adidas Golden Ball for most valuable player.

Belfast-born Jonny Evans is a tall and agile centre-back. An intelligent defender, he combines an uncompromising physical approach with the ability to pass the ball out from the back.
Jonny has risen through the United ranks to become an integral part of the first-team squad and 2011/12 was the season in which he truly came to the fore. The Northern Ireland international - who received his first call-up before he had even made his United debut - has blossomed into one of the best young defenders around.

Handed a Champions League squad number at the start of the 2005/06 season, aged just 17, Evans was a burgeoning talent

waiting to burst to prominence. Given his opportunity by the sale of Gerard Pique in the summer of 2008, Jonny did that during the course of the 2008/09 campaign.

Whenever called upon, Jonny's ice-cool calm is immediately apparent, even on huge stages like the San Siro or Stamford Bridge. His capacity for handling pressure is incredible, and stems partially from the extensive experience he gained out on loan.

When Sir Alex Ferguson publicly labels a player as potentially Manchester United's all-time greatest, they are a very special case indeed.

But while the scale of such praise must have surprised even Phil Jones, the young England international was hardly a stranger to platitudes, having been likened to Reds great Duncan Edwards by club legend Sir Bobby Charlton.
From the moment Jones broke into Blackburn Rovers' Premier League team in March 2010, it soon became clear they had an exceptional young talent on their hands.
An eye-catching debut against Chelsea brought inevitable

comparisons with Blues skipper John Terry, as the robust stopper swiftly handled the elevation in class and dealt admirably with some of the biggest names in the country.
Wayne Rooney was quick to admit Jones was one of his toughest opponents in 2010/11, and his performances against the Reds in consecutive seasons certainly revealed he is a player who loves the art of defending under pressure. Sir Alex noted Jones' determination at Old Trafford, haranguing his older team-mates as Blackburn were being clobbered 7-1, and was convinced that he was a United player in the making.

Patrice Evra has been incredibly consistent since arriving at Old Trafford in 2006, dominating the left-back position while regularly wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Nemanja Vidic.
The Frenchman's passionate persona has also made him a cult hero on the terraces and few will have felt more pride when the Reds reclaimed the Barclays Premier League at a canter in 2012/13 following the drama and heartbreak of the previous season.
United beat Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan to Evra's signature in January 2006 when Sir Alex

Ferguson splashed the cash to shore up his defence, also bringing in the talismanic Vidic just a few days later.
Although only 24 at the time, Patrice had already been capped five times for France and was club captain at Monaco, where his reputation as an intelligent, attack-minded full-back had already been established.
In fact, he was a big success at the club, having won the 2003 French League Cup before reaching the 2004 UEFA Champions League final under manager Didier Deschamps, who was admittedly a big influence: "He transmitted to me the bug of winning at any price."

David De Gea is a product of Atletico Madrid’s academy. Tall, athletic and confident with the ball, he progressed quickly through the youth ranks and spent his first professional season, 2008/09, with the club’s reserves. A first-team debut arrived early in the following term via a substitute appearance against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League on 30 September 2009 - and thereafter he never looked back.
De Gea capped his maiden campaign in Atletico Madrid's first team by playing a major role in winning the UEFA Europa League - the club's first major European trophy in almost 50 years.

His already burgeoning reputation was further enhanced during his second full season in La Liga and rumours of United's interest, which had first surfaced in January 2010, were more widely circulated when the Reds' then goalkeeping coach Eric Steele was seen scouting the youngster.
By the end of the 2010/11 season, David was widely touted by several media outlets as the primary choice to replace the retiring Edwin van der Sar at Old Trafford, although talks were put on hold whilst he helped Spain win UEFA’s Under-21 European Championship in Denmark. The transfer was completed after the tournament, on 29