Manchester United now have different values-Lindegaard

Anders Lindegaard has told 888 Sport that Manchester United are now “a different club” after the world-record signing of Paul Pogba.

Lindegaard, 32, joined Sir Alex Ferguson’s United in 2010 as a potential successor to goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar but, after failing to make the breakthrough, Louis van Gaal allowed the Dane to join West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer last year.

United have since replaced Van Gaal with Jose Mourinho and have made significant reinforcements to the squad this summer, most notably when they broke the transfer record to re-sign Pogba from Juventus.

Lindegaard, now with Preston North End, feels it marks a “new chapter” at Old Trafford and said: “United are a different club to when I was there.

“It’s run in a different way and built on different values. Unfortunately this is just a natural development with how football is going and it doesn’t change my feelings for them.

“Everything is about money and I know United have spent a lot of money over the past decades, which is a big part of why they’re so successful, but it’s just getting more and more extreme. You can’t prevent it so I guess you just have to embrace it and do as well as you can in that environment.”

He said the inflation of transfer prices is “only going in one direction” and added: “Journalists will ask these same questions in five years when players start costing a quarter of a billion. It is what it is and it’s the direction of modern football.”

Lindegaard also expects Wayne Rooney to play a prominent role under Mourinho.

The United captain’s performances over recent seasons have been questioned, but Mourinho made a significant effort to sign Rooney when he returned to Chelsea in 2013 and was also linked with the England forward during his time in charge at Real Madrid.

Lindegaard said: “He’s going to be important and Wayne will blossom under Mourinho. He’s always fancied Wazza as a football player and I remember him saying several times that he considered him one of the best in the world. He fits right in to Mourinho’s philosophy and he’s going to do great.

“Everybody knows how determined he is and how hard he works so he will suit a more direct style of playing and for me he will play just off the main striker”.