Longtime Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has officially joined Manchester United

Manchester United have upgraded their No.2 goalkeeper slot with the signing of Victor Valdes, now giving the club insurance should David De Gea suffer an injury or transfer away from Old Trafford.

Valdes has a world-class resume, with three UEFA Champions League titles to go with six La Liga crowns at FC Barcelona. The 32-year-old keeper joins the Red Devils on an 18-month contract.

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“He joins the club as the number two goalkeeper and is a great addition to the first team,” said Louis van Gaal, who managed Valdes at Barcelona.

The Spaniard appeared set for AS Monaco before a knee injury caused all sorts of problems between the goalkeeper and club. Rumors of his arrival at Manchester United picked up steam and ultimately came to a head on Wednesday.

From ManUtd.com:

Louis van Gaal said: “I am delighted Victor has signed for the club. Victor is a very experienced goalkeeper and his record speaks for itself. I have said on many occasions that Manchester United will always be interested in the best players. Victor has remained very professional throughout his rehabilitation from injury and has been very impressive during his training sessions with the first team over the past weeks. He joins the club as the number two goalkeeper and is a great addition to the first team.”

De Gea, 24, has been rumored as a possible target for Real Madrid. The Valdes signing more likely opens the door for either Anders Lindegaard or Ben Amos to leave Manchester.

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