Ashley takes Utd's spree up to £55m

Posted Friday, June 10, 2011 by The Sun

ALEX FERGUSON snapped up Ashley Young in a £20million swoop last night.

It took Manchester United's summer spending to a whopping £55m - leaving their title rivals in the shade.

The arrival of Aston Villa's England star Young completes an astonishing hat-trick of Fergsuon buys worth £55m as he begins to build a new dynasty.

Liverpool have shown their intent by splashing out £20m on Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson while Arsenal boss Aesene Wenger has forked out a measly £1m for Charlton defender Carl Jenkinson.

More surprisingly, traditional money-bags clubs Chelsea and Manchester City have yet to spend a penny since the end of the season.

Young, 25, passed a medical at the club's Carrington Training Ground yesterday and put pen to paper on a four-year contract.

He now joins Phil Jones who moved on Wednesday from Blackburn to Old Trafford in a £16.5m transfer.

And a deal has also been agreed for Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea to move from Atletico Madrid to United for £18.5million.

Ferguson always likes to get his business done early in the summer but this is quick moving even by his own standards with the season finishing less than a fortnight ago.

Despite winning the title and the Champions League Ferguson knew he needed to breath new life into his squad.

Last season's poor away record and stuttering start worried him and Ferguson told the club's owners the Glazers midway through the season that big spending would be needed.

Ferguson snatched both Jones from under the noses of rivals Liverpool and Kop boss Kenny Dalglish was also keen on Young.

Young can play as a winger or second striker and is a major addition to United's already huge attacking threat.

Young made his name at Watford before an £8m transfer to Aston Villa in January 2007.

He went on to make 193 appearances scoring 39 goals but it is his assists statistics of 54 in that time which help to make him such a valuable asset.

His move could leave Nani's future in question.

The Portuguese winger was a candidate for player of the year after his first-half to last season but he tailed off amid rumours that he was looking for a new challenge.