Manchester United's Anderson is targeting an injury-free season as he aims to boost Sir Alex Ferguson's midfield options.
If I stay fit I can be a success at United, says Brazilian midfielder
Manchester United's Anderson is targeting an injury-free season as he aims to boost Sir Alex Ferguson's midfield options.
The 24-year-old Brazil international joined United in a £25million move back in 2007 and scored a vital penalty in the final of the UEFA Champions League in his first season.
But in the four campaigns since then his injury problems have become progressively worse with Anderson featuring in fewer than half of the club's league games in each of those seasons.
Indeed, the former Porto man has struggled for fitness since damaging his cruciate knee ligament in February 2010 and admits this is a crucial season for his career at Old Trafford.
"The last two years have been very difficult," he said.
"No-one wants a player who has a lot of injuries. But I am still young. I am only 24. And I believe I can get through this.
"All summer I stayed in Europe to work on my knee. Now I am 100%. I don't have any more injuries. I don't have a problem.
"This is a very big season for me. In my first three years we won everything; Champions League, Premier League, Carling Cup. But then I suffered a cruciate injury and had a bad problem.
"I tried to push through it when I came back but it was still sore. Sometimes it was bad and the pain stayed.
"Sometimes you think you might have to change clubs but I love it here. The club has always helped me, as have the other players. I have worked so hard trying to get right."
Boost
The Brazilian started the club's first seven games of last season in the Premier League and his return would be a welcome boost to a United squad perceived to be lacking depth in midfield.
Predictably, Anderson does not share those concerns about that area of the pitch, citing the presence of Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley and Ryan Giggs as evidence of their strength.
"Manchester United have some good players; Scholes, Carrick, Cleverley, Giggs," he added.
"If we bring in new players it will help even more, although you could say that about any club.
"The thing is, if I stay fit, I can be that player. I can be a success at United. You have seen, when I don't have a problem, I play well.
"The problems come when I have an injury. After six or seven games last season it felt as though one leg was 30% weaker than the other."
