VERON IS THE NEW VIEIRA: Stam
Manchester United may have been unable to lure Arsenal star Patrick Vieira to Old Trafford this summer, but defender Jaap Stam claims the champions' new signing Juan Sebastian Veron is every bit as good as the brilliant Frenchman.
Arsenal's French World Cup winner had been linked with United before the champions clinched the Ł24million signing of Veron from Lazio, which will be completed tomorrow after a medical at Old Trafford. But United's defensive kingpin reckons Veron can rival Vieira as the countdown for next season's title race gets underway.

Stam said: ``Veron is great news for United. He is a wonderful player who is rightly regarded as one of the best players in the world. He has so much to his game, he is a great passer of the ball, a strong runner and he gets his share of goals. He is equally good at attacking as defending. I have always been impressed with him.''

Stam added: ``I would say he plays in a similar style to Arsenal's Patrick Vieira. Veron's arrival will certainly increase competition for places in midfield. I don't know what the boss has in mind because we already have the best midfield in Europe with Keane, Scholes, Becks, Giggs, Butt and the rest of the lads. I suppose Veron will just make the best better."