EXCLUSIVE: United reward Cleverley for breakthrough with new
deal until 2015
Tom Cleverley has been rewarded for his remarkable progress
at Manchester United with a contract that ties him to Old Trafford until the
summer of 2015.
The 22-year-old midfielder has signed a deal that puts him
in a similar pay bracket to United's other England internationals Chris
Smalling and Phil Jones, who agreed a £40,000-a-week package when he moved from
Blackburn in the summer.
United's determination to secure Cleverley on improved terms
illustrates the impact he has made since returning from an impressive
season-long loan at Wigan.
His emergence has helped compensate for the retirement of
Paul Scholes as well as softening the blow of United's failure to sign Wesley
Sneijder from Inter Milan.
It has also caught the attention of Fabio Capello who handed
the England Under 21 star his first senior call-up for the cancelled friendly
against Holland in August, and the subsequent Euro 2012 qualifiers with
Bulgaria and Wales.
Having already made a big impression in United's win over
Barcelona on the pre-season tour of America, Cleverley pressed his claim for a
first-team place when he came on as a
half-time substitute in the
Community Shield in August to help Sir Alex Ferguson's side recover from
two goals down and beat neighbours Manchester City 3-2 at Wembley.
It earned him a place in the line-up ahead of Michael
Carrick for United's first four Barclays Premier League games as the champions
made a 100 per cent start to the season, but he then damaged ligaments in his
foot in a challenge with Kevin Davies at Bolton a month ago and has been
sidelined since.
It has not gone unnoticed at Old Trafford how much United
have missed Cleverley's energy and quick distribution during his absence, with
United struggling to beat Norwich and drawing with Benfica, Stoke and Basle.
It looks unlikely that he will recover in time for the trip
to Liverpool on Saturday, but he should be fit to face City again in the
Manchester derby the following weekend.
Cleverley's new deal is also reward for his determination to
convince Ferguson he would make it as a
first-team player despite concerns among the coaching staff at United's youth academy
that he was too small as a teenager.
That was reflected in his
decision to go out on loan and gain experience in the Championship with
Watford and Leicester rather than sit in United's reserves.
'I was never knocked back but I'd say I was doubted,'
Cleverley told Sportsmail in April. 'I've never had it easy in my career.
Compared to everyone else in the team I was really small. It was hard for me
but I always had the confidence that one day I'd be good enough.
'It was strange to keep going out on loan. I've had four
clubs and hopefully this time next year it's still four clubs and I'm playing
for United.
'I'd rather the manager didn't buy players because he trusts
the youth he's got. Hopefully we can prove him right.'
After handing Cleverley a new deal, United are now expected
to focus their efforts on tying England striker Danny Welbeck to a long-term
contract.
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