Nani ready for battle
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WINGER PENS NEW DEAL
Nani signs Manchester United contract extension
Manchester United winger Nani has signed a new four-year contract with the club after being rewarded for his impressive form this season with a deal that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2014.
Nani had been the subject of plenty of criticism after failing to live up to his £17 million price tag since moving to United in 2007, but he has proved his worth over the past few months - producing a number of scintillating displays, including a man of the match performance in the 3-1 victory over Arsenal.
"Nani is an emerging talent within the team and has developed tremendously since joining the club," United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told the club's official website. "We are delighted he has signed a new contract and I am sure he will have a long and successful future here at Manchester United."
Nani's Old Trafford career looked to be heading for the scrapheap, especially after he lifted the lid on Ferguson's angry rants in an interview with a Portuguese newspaper in November.
But the winger admitted he was pleased to have signed a long-term contract to stay with the current Premier League champions.
"I am delighted to have signed a new contract," Nani said. "It has been like a dream come true to play for Manchester United.
"The coaching staff have taught me so much about the game and I'm playing alongside some of the best players in the world. I'm looking forward to winning many more trophies with this team."
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Despite the disappointing display and result in Munich, Nani insists confidence is high within the United camp ahead of Saturday's title tussle with Chelsea.
The Reds are a point ahead of their championship rivals and know victory at Old Trafford would be a huge step forward in their quest for a record fourth consecutive crown.
"It’s very important that we stay ahead of our rivals and don’t give them any encouragement," Nani told United Review.
"It will be a big result for us if we can win on Saturday and it will give us a great chance to win the league."
Hot on the heels of United's biggest game of the league campaign is the must-win clash with Bayern Munich, and Nani says everyone is fully prepared for the challenges ahead.
"It feels normal to have big game after big game at this stage of the season and I think you must enjoy the pressure," he declared.
"You’re up against big teams in the Champions League and every game in the league is important, but we all feel ready for the challenge and are determined to win everything we can."