Manchester United have sealed the Deadline Day signing of Alex Telles from FC Porto.The Red Devils made a breakthrough in negotiations for the Brazilian left-back over the weekend and were able to get a deal over the line before the window closed.The 27-year-old arrives at Old Trafford to provide reinforcements in the left-back position and offer competition for the likes of Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams.
Telles delighted to join Man Utd
Telles told the club's official website: "To join a club with the prestige of Manchester United is a huge honour.
"You have to work hard to get to this moment in your career and now I am coming to this club, I can promise that I will give everything in my heart to be a success here.
“I won many trophies at FC Porto and I want to continue that at United. The manager has a clear plan and direction for this team and I can’t wait to pull on the famous shirt.”
Need for defensive reinforcements
There have long been calls for United to bolster their defence after finishing third last season and it has taken them until the final day of the transfer window to make any progress.
The need for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to have more resources along his back-line couldn't have been clearer than during the club's 6-1 humiliation against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Shaw didn't cover himself in glory as Jose Mourinho's team ran riot at the 'Theatre of Dreams' and he was lucky not to be sent off for a terrible foul on Lucas Moura during the second-half.
Telles brings experience
As a result, there is good reason for United fans to feel optimistic about more competition being injected on the left defensive flank and Telles could well prove to be an instant starter.
He arrives on English shores with experience in abundance having plied his trade with Porto across five seasons, while also having spent time with Galatasaray and Inter Milan.
Telles is also a proven winner with two Primeira Liga titles in his trophy cabinet as well as success in the Taça de Portugal, Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, Süper Lig and Turkish Cup.
Attacking quality
Last year also marked his breakthrough in the Brazilian national team, earning his first cap against Panama and he was named in Tite's squad for the current international break.
Telles has long since proven his attacking ability, too, with 26 goals from full-back during his time in Portugal, 13 of which coming last season alone, blowing Shaw's career tally of two out the water.
GIVEMESPORT's Kobe Tong says
For all my criticism of United over the course of the transfer window, I think this is a pretty shrewd acquisition.
Don't get me wrong, I think a new centre-back should have higher on their priority list, but any defensive signing is a good one when you look at how poor they were against Tottenham.
I've not heard a bad word spoken about Telles' chances in the Premier League and even if he proves nothing more than a back-up for Shaw, it still improves the club's squad depth.
It's became fatiguing to see Williams consistently played out of position as a right-footed left-back, so United can finally rely upon a duo of experienced defenders on their natural side of the pitch.
So, sure, it's not a signing that's going to have United fans knee-sliding on the concrete outside Ole Trafford, but I think it makes ten times more sense than both Donny van de Beek and Edinson Cavani.