Kleberson on the club legend Man United need to embody to turn their fortunes around

Kleberson has called on Manchester United to show the fighting spirit Roy Keane brought to training games where he smashed his teammates to the ground to turn their fortunes around.

The Brazilian World Cup winner believes his former club need to display the hunger his old captain showed in practice matches as he said they need the sort of forceful characters United had in his day.

Kleberson joined United in 2003, the year after winning the World Cup, and spent two seasons at Old Trafford. Now he wishes the current side could reach the same standards, whereas United came 15th, their lowest finish in half a century.

He said: “Imagine now to see United play the same way we played all those years ago, we have really good players like Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Keane. That generation, it is powerful, it is really powerful.

“The time I arrived at United, the memories I have is of powerful players. Everyone wants to look [you] in the eyes and we can see the guys are really hungry to win every game. Even the training sessions are like games, I remember Roy Keane smashed some guys to the ground.

“For me it is always special, because I come from the Brazil World Cup team of 2002, I have the opportunity to play with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, those guys, it is powerful, and then as soon as I get to United there are all those guys like Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. It is a great opportunity for me.”

Kleberson called on today’s team to copy their combative former captain Keane and similarly tough characters.

He added: “That’s the thing I want to say again: be hungry to fight and compete and win a game. It doesn’t matter how you win, like 1-0 or 2-0, but I want those guys who walk on the field, they know what they have to do to win a game and bring the three points back to Carrington.”

Kleberson believes his fellow Brazilian Matheus Cunha will prove a fine buy after the forward completed his £62.5m move from Wolves.

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“It is a big signing for Manchester United,” he added. “I am really happy to see Matheus Cunha to play for Manchester United. He has really smart moves without the ball. He can make some runs diagonal, he can get it a lot of time in the final third, his potential to grow in the Premier League is long, he can make much better and United has a tough moment now. They need players like him.”

Kleberson feels Ruben Amorim is the right manager for United, despite his difficult start, but feels it is vital he begins next season well.

“I think United trusts a good coach,” he said. “Now he has a good manager. He gets the team in the middle of the season, it is not easy to find the team to play the way he wants. I talk to Manchester United fans, a lot are upset about the team. The beginning of the season is really important for United now, they don’t play a tournament like [the Champions League]. They can focus on the beginning of the season. They can make it good like pre-season. They can find perfect signings for the club and try to build a good team for 2026.”

Kleberson was speaking ahead of the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup 2025. Watch all 63 games live on DAZN for free.