Gradi: Sir Alex wanted Nick "more than anybody else"

• zocoss

  13 Jun 12, 01:33

  Manchester United sign England Under-18 forward Nick Powell

  The Red Devils have beaten off competition from a number of Premier League rivals to complete a deal for the talented youngster who has described the move as “a dream come true

   

  Powell is the second arrival at Old Trafford after the club confirmed a deal is in place to sign Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund

   

   

   

  Manchester United have confirmed the signing of

  Nick Powell from Crewe Alexandra for an undisclosed fee.
  
  The Red Devils have confirmed the highly-rated midfielder has already passed a medical and agreed a four-year contract which will start 1 July 2012. 

  Speaking to ManUtd.com, Sir Alex Ferguson said: “We have scouted Nick for months now. He is an exceptional talent and has been schooled well at Crewe.
  
  "I’m delighted he has chosen to come to United. He has a lot to offer and we are all looking forward to working with him."
  
  Powell, 18, is delighted to have completed his dream move and is looking forward to playing alongside his new team-mates next season.
  
  He said: “It really is a dream come true to be signing for Manchester United. I have had a great time at Crewe and I would like to thank them for helping me to develop as a player over the past 13 years.
  
  "I’m excited about continuing my development with Sir Alex and the world-class players in the squad. The thought of making the step up to the Premier League next season is an exciting prospect. I can’t wait to get started.”
  
  United are thought to have beaten of competition from a number of their Premier League rivals including Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea to sign the youngster.
  
  He attracted the interest with a number of sparkling displays for Crewe in League Two, netting 14 goals in 38 league appearances last season to help the club secure promotion.
  
  Powell is the second arrival at Old Trafford after the club confirmed a deal is in place to sign Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund.

    

• zocoss

  14 Jun 12, 01:03

   

  Building for the future: Man United complete £4m deal for prodigy Powell from Crewe

  

  Manchester United have completed their second signing of the summer with highly-rated Crewe youngster Nick Powell joining on a four-year deal.
• zocoss

  15 Jun 12, 09:04

   

  Nick Powell will win matches for Manchester United, says Dario Gradi

  The teenager's mentor reveals several clubs were chasing the youngster but that Sir Alex Ferguson wanted the midfielder "more than anybody else did and worked harder at it"

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Crewe Alexandra's Director of Football Dario Gradi has described Manchester United's new signing Nick Powell as a player who "wins matches on his own".
  
  The 18-year-old midfielder helped inspire the Railwaymen to promotion to League One before joining Sir Alex Ferguson's side, scoring the opening goal in Alexandra's 2-0 win over Cheltenham in the League Two play-off final.

   

  Powell has been closely monitored by a number of Premier League suitors throughout the year, and his move to Old Trafford was confirmed earlier in the week, with the two clubs agreeing an initial £3 million fee.
  
  Gradi - who has spent almost 30 years at Grestly Road - has overseen the development of a number of talented players in his time at the club, but believes Powell is among the best to have graduated from Crewe's widely heralded academy.
  
  He told MUTV: "Nick Powell is a match winner. He doesn't rely on other people to make the goals for him. He's not a six-yard box player. In fact, we've been trying to encourage him to get in that six-yard box more. But he picks the ball up, runs at people and finishes with a goal. He wins matches on his own."
  
  Crewe's youth system has produced a number of top-level players over the years, such as David Platt and former West Ham striker Dean Ashton, however Gradi believes Powell is a different type of player to those who have rolled off the club's conveyor belt in the past.
  
  He added: "We've had some terrific players at Crewe who went on to play for England, but Nick's not the same as any of them. He does a similar job to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain."
  
  Gradi also revealed that while a number of clubs were interested in acquiring Powell's services, Sir Alex Ferguson's personal approach to the matter helped the Red Devils secure his signature.
  
  "There were [other clubs interested] but I have to say Sir Alex wanted Nick more than anybody else did and worked harder at it," Gradi said.
  
  "I was very impressed with the way Sir Alex went about it and what he said.
  
  "If he was trying to sign me, I'd have signed!

   

   

  "Nick Powell is a match winner. He doesn't rely on other people to make the goals for him"

   

   

  
  
  "What Sir Alex has done is challenge the boy to do what Ronaldo did. Young players worry about their chances of playing when they go to United.
  
  "But Sir Alex told Nick, 'If you do well enough, you'll get a chance. Ronaldo went on as sub [on his debut against Bolton] and was outstanding so I picked him.' Nick has got to be good enough, first of all, in training to be named as a sub but that's the challenge Sir Alex has given him."
• dragg

  15 Jun 12, 09:57

  man u is definitely the place to go for young players who wants a chance play and win something. teams like chelsea will never play youngsters. arsenal play youngsters but cant win trophies.
• Chris88110

  18 Jun 12, 23:17

  Originally posted by dragg:

  man u is definitely the place to go for young players who wants a chance play and win something.

  teams like chelsea will never play youngsters.

  arsenal play youngsters but cant win trophies.

  I agree but I think united are signing too many youngsters. I think they will need to make at least 1 big name signing. A creative midfielder, else we fucked.