Edinson Cavani: Manchester United striker signs new one-year contract
The Uruguay international had been considering his future but will now stay at Old Trafford until the end of next season
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Your support makes all the difference.Edinson Cavani has signed a new one-year contract with Manchester United, extending his stay at the club until the end of the 2021-22 season.
Cavani, 34, joined the club last summer on a free transfer after he was released by Paris Saint-Germain and has impressed in his debut season at Old Trafford, scoring 15 goals in all competitions despite making 17 of his 35 appearances from the bench.
The Uruguay international had been considering his future and his father Luis Cavani revealed earlier this year that his son was not settled in England and was in talks to return to South America. But United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pushed for Cavani to stay for another season after the striker’s positive impact both on the pitch and with his professional attitude on the training ground.
“I said when Edinson signed that he would bring energy, power and leadership to this group and I haven’t been proved wrong,” said Solskjaer. “He has been everything I thought he would be and more. As coaches, we knew about his goalscoring record. However, it is his personality that has brought so much to this squad, he has a winning mentality and has an unequivocal attitude to everything he does.
“Edinson is one of the last to leave the training ground and sets the tone for the upcoming youngsters with his approach to his profession every single day. I have always wanted him to stay and experience the way our fans will respond to him as a player, and this means he will hopefully get that opportunity.”
Cavani has overcome his challenging start to life in Manchester and said he has developed a “deep bond” with the players and staff at the club.
“Over the season, I have developed a great affection for the club and everything that it represents,” he said. “I feel a deep bond with my team-mates and the staff who work behind the scenes here. They give me extra motivation every day and I know that, together, we can achieve special things.
“From the very first moment that I arrived, I felt the confidence of the manager. As a player, this belief gives you the perfect opportunity to play your best football and I want to thank him for that. I have been touched with how much the supporters have wanted me to stay, and I will give everything to bring them happiness and joy with my performances on the field. I’ve not yet been able to play in front of the Old Trafford crowd and that is something that I cannot wait to do.”
Cavani has played an increasingly important role in United’s push for a second-place finish in the Premier League and their team’s run to the Europa League final. He is likely to lead the line in the final later this month, when United take on Spanish side Villarreal in Gdansk.
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