Samba twins set for United lift-off

http://sports.setanta.com/en/Sport/N...ive-at-United/

Brazilian identical twins Fabio and Rafael are set to arrive at Manchester United ahead of schedule and will begin their careers in England on Monday.

The two full backs – first spotted by Sir Alex Ferguson in a youth competition in Hong Kong in 2005 - signed pre-contract agreements with the Premier League champions when turning 16 in July 2006.

It had been expected that their European adventure would begin at the end of the current campaign, but the two 17-year-olds have now confirmed that their family will be moving to Manchester on January 21.

It is believed that United are paying €3.5 million (£2.6 million) for each of the teenagers who will look to emulate the Neville brothers by both winning a place in Ferguson’s first team.

“After eight visits to Manchester United, we will travel to come to live in England,” Rafael told Globoesporte.

“In the last two years, we were there three times in three months. We trained ten days and we came back. This time, all the family are going: Father, mother and our older brother with his wife.”

Rafael plays at right back with Fabio performing on the opposite side for Brazil's youth teams and the Fluminense youth setup.

It is expected that neither will be considered for first team football until next season, when they hope to burst onto the scene like fellow Brazilian Alexandre Pato who recently made a huge impression on his Serie A debut with Milan after turning 18.

“I go to only train for six months, without participating in games, for Manchester United,” added Fabio.

“I will be able, in the maximum, to enter in some games before turning 18 on July 9.

“We know some Brazilian players of a similar age who are playing abroad. Anderson, of the Manchester United, is our video gaming friend. We always talk with Lucas, ex-Gremio [and now of Liverpool], on MSN.

“Our biggest example is without a doubt Alexandre Pato. Who knows if we can go the same way as the Duck?”

nft.

Originally Posted by El Calafate

Anderson, of the Manchester United, is our video gaming friend. We always talk with Lucas, ex-Gremio [and now of Liverpool], on MSN.

“Our biggest example is without a doubt Alexandre Pato. Who knows if we can go the same way as the Duck?”

Lunatics.

Originally Posted by El Calafate

This time, all the family are going: Father, mother and our older brother with his wife.”

Immigrants, great.

Originally Posted by red @rmy

Immigrants, great.

we are all immigrants. nft.

oh god.

i just thought about something

anderson is going to help them settle...

UNITED SAMBA STARS IN VICE SHAME

"Video Games" is clearly a euphemism.

Originally Posted by m14red

Lunatics.

mental. who's good at finding msn addresses? is this all footballers do, get home play pro evo and chat on msn? sounds oh so familiar

Good news.

Be £#%&!ing fantastic if both of them work out well...we really need a right and left back...so what better than a couple of 17 year old brazilian twins

From what I've seen of them (couple of games for brazil in a youth tournament), the left back looks extremely talented, captained the team too. The right back didnt impress so much.

And yes I'm refering to them by their position because I cant remember which was which!...I think Fabio was the rather good left back though.

Samba twins ?.......Lets just hope they are better than the Djemba twins

Whats their build like? Could they handle the physical side of the English game?

Originally Posted by Rossi the Red

Whats their build like? Could they handle the physical side of the English game?

You need Polish for that mate, Brazilians play football and wax @#%&!s. Polish build houses and post smilies.

Originally Posted by Rossi the Red

Whats their build like? Could they handle the physical side of the English game?

I guess that shows their build?

Anyway..they're quite short, evra-like in build. But they are only 17/18 I suppose. They seemed quite tough and competative from what I saw..but again, they were only playing against fellow teenagers.

Fabio wearing 6 and Rafael wearing 2 incase anybody was wondering

Eligible to play in the reserves perhaps??

I would imagine once they are 18 they'll both easily get permits on the special talent thingy.

Originally Posted by chorleyred

I would imagine once they are 18 they'll both easily get permits on the special talent thingy.

Both have portuguese passports.

even better

I watched that youth tournament and fabio looked fantastic, but I also read that rafael was the one the coaches thought would end up the better player.

the few games I watched fabio was playing starring roles at left back, left winger, central midfielder and striker in each game. looked the dogs danglys

Brazilian twins set for switch to Manchester United

Oliver Kay

Manchester United are preparing to announce the signing of Fabio and Rafael Silva, Brazil’s answer to the Neville brothers. The 17-year-old twins, who are identical, are scheduled to arrive in Manchester on Monday to join United in a joint £5.2 million transfer from Fluminense, a deal that has been 2½ years in the planning.

Like Gary and Phil Neville, the Silva brothers are full backs, with Rafael operating on the right flank and Fabio on the left, even though both are right-footed. They caught Sir Alex Ferguson’s eye in a youth tournament in Hong Kong in 2005, during United’s preseason tour to Asia, and signed precontract agreements with the Barclays Premier League club when they turned 16 in July 2006. Initially the plan was for them to move to Manchester this summer, but the deal has been brought forward now that they have received the necessary paperwork.

The twins excelled for Brazil in the Under-17 World Cup finals in South Korea last August, with Fabio, the captain, finishing as his country’s leading scorer. Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz, the United assistant manager, are understood to be excited about the potential of the duo, even though they are unlikely to make more than the odd fleeting appearance in the first team in the immediate future.

“After eight visits to Manchester United, we will travel to come to live in England,” Fabio said. “In the last two years, we have visited many times. This time we are there for good.”

With the Brazilians being added to a pool of talent that includes Jonny Evans, who is on loan at Sunderland, Gerard Piqué and Danny Simpson, Ferguson believes that United are well stocked in defence for many years, but concerns remain over the prospect of losing Wes Brown, who has yet to agree an extension to his contract, which expires at the end of the season.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle3200669.ece

[quote=legendary saf;738461]Brazilian twins set for switch to Manchester United

Oliver Kay

Manchester United are preparing to announce the signing of Fabio and Rafael Silva, Brazil’s answer to the Neville brothers. The 17-year-old twins, who are identical,

I'm sure Citizen Nev will be a bit miffed to read he's identical to Phil