“He has been a great signing. I can’t remember what we paid for him, but whatever it was, he was cheap.”

Sir Alex Ferguson has heaped praise on captain Nemanja Vidic ahead of today’s game against Birmingham.

The Serbian, who marks 5 years at Old Trafford this month, has been a stand out performer for United this term and has more than justified Sir Alex’s decision to make him captain.

Last weekend at Spurs saw another top notch performance and Sir Alex has been well aware of Vida’s impact this term:

“Nemanja is a warrior, he’s a natural defender and he loves defending. There have been a few defenders like him over the years and, when the ball comes into the penalty box, you know that the one who wants to get it clear will be Nemanja, as he did last Sunday. He was so powerful and positive in everything he went for.”

One could only have imagined how well he would have turned out when we signed him in January 2006 from Spartak Moscow as it wasn’t easy for him initially:

“He and Patrice (Evra) found it difficult to settle in the first six months and it took them a while to settle. That happens to some players coming into the English game, they find it difficult, and none are the same.”

But he has settled and forming a steely partnership with Rio in the heart of our defence the fee we paid back then is now looking a bargain,

“He has been a great signing. I can’t remember what we paid for him, but whatever it was, he was cheap.”