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Man Utd's Anderson 100 per cent fit for new season

Anderson says he is 100 per cent fit © Getty Images

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Manchester United midfielder Anderson believes he can "be a success" for the club in the coming season if he remains free of injuries.

Anderson, 24, has been at Old Trafford for five years but having arrived with a reputation as one of world football's brightest young prospects, he has struggled to develop into the key player many predicted he would become.

Injuries have been a major obstacle to the Brazil international's progress and he has featured in less than 50 per cent of United's games in each of the past four seasons - with a cruciate injury in 2010 proving particularly difficult from which to recover.

However, Anderson believes he is now back to his best and is ready to prove as much when United kick-off their Premier League campaign against Everton on August 20.

"The last two years have been very difficult," Anderson 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."

United have a wealth of midfield talent at their disposal with Shinji Kagawa arriving from Dortmund this summer to join Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley as Sir Alex Ferguson's central midfield options.

But Anderson sees no reason why he cannot estabish himself as a key player and regular starter for the Red Devils in 2012-13.

"Manchester United have some good players; Scholes, Carrick, Cleverley, Giggs," he said. "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."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.