Alexander Büttner has admitted it was his dream to play for Manchester United and has backed compatriot Tyrell Malacia to be a big success at Old Trafford.
Büttner joined Manchester United in a £4.5m deal from Vitesse in August 2012 as a potential long-term replacement for Patrice Evra.
His time at the club would not be a successful one, though, with him managing just 28 appearances in all competitions during a two-year spell before moving to Dinamo Moscow in 2014.
He’s since played in Belgium, the USA and then returned to the Netherlands with Waalwijk and now De Graafschap.
Manchester United are ultimately the highlight of his career and he admits that they were his dream club.
“I also went to Southampton and Sunderland for talks,” MSN report him saying.
“They had made all kinds of professional videos for me, and it looked top notch, but at one point Manchester United came around the corner.
“That’s really a boyhood dream though and then I immediately knew in my head: I want this.”
There’s been a few left-backs at Manchester United since Buttner’s departure and the latest is Tyrell Malacia.
He arrived in a summer deal from Feyenoord and has been an instant hit, quickly replacing Luke Shaw in the first team under Erik ten Hag.
His performances have been earning him rave reviews from fans and pundits alike, with early indications showing that he could be one of the bargains of the summer.
Büttner is certainly impressed by what he has seen so far and is following Malacia’s progress closely given their shared history of playing for Vitesse.
“It’s quite a difference whether you play Eredivisie or Premier League, only you can adapt yourself very quickly,” he added.
“I can see that happening with Malacia. I already thought he was one of the best fullbacks in the Netherlands. You also just see that he is a boy with spirit, who does well and can stand his ground.
“You do follow that, yes. I myself, of course, went from Vitesse to Manchester United and Malacia came from Feyenoord.
“Those are just nice steps. I really grant that to a boy like that. I enjoy seeing Dutchmen play at the big Manchester United.”
