Source: Daily_Mail
From Russia with love: United target Igor Akinfeev flirts with Ferguson
Manchester United target Igor Akinfeev has hailed the 'great' English champions - and Sir Alex Ferguson has returned the compliment.
The CSKA Moscow star came within four minutes of becoming only the second goalkeeper this season to keep a clean sheet against United before Antonio Valencia struck to claim a 1-0 win on Wednesday night.
Despite the breach, Ferguson reserved special praise for the 23-year-old, who has been tipped to replace Edwin van der Sar between the posts at Old Trafford.
'Akinfeev had an outstanding game,' said the Scot. 'We had to wait a long time for chances on the CSKA goal.
'CSKA are the youngest team in the (Champions League) group. There are a lot of young players. (Winger Milos) Krasic was very good, but Fabio did his best to close him down.'
CSKA would not stand in the way of their captain going to United this winter, if the price was right and Akinfeev indicated he was ready to make the step up.
The Russia regular has given his clearest indication yet that the move would suit him and claims a friendship with Serbia defender Nemanja Vidic.
'I see in him (Vidic) as a very strong player,' Akinfeev told Russian website Championat. 'I think he made the right choice by going to England. And next to Rio Ferdinand, he will certainly learn many lessons.
'Everyone knows that United are a great club, who have won countless titles. The players in the team are at the highest level.
'You can say that we didn't deserve the defeat, but on the other hand, you can't win when you spend almost the entire match defending.
'We have to create chances at their end. At Old Trafford it will certainly be even more difficult than in Moscow.'
Akinfeev is impressed with United's style, saying they don't conform to the normal stereotype of English long-ball teams.
'If you look at the forward line, it is clear that (Dimitar) Berbatov is the only tall player. (Wayne) Rooney, of course, is a very strong and athletic player, but likes to play with the ball at his feet.
'Owen also works on the ground and you can't say that the players on the wing just mindlessly pump the ball into the box at the first opportunity.'
Akinfeev is similarly free in his praise for 39-year-old Van der Sar, who is expected to retire at the end of the season.
Akinfeev got the better of Van der Sar when Russia beat Holland 3-1 after extra time in the Euro 2008 quarter-final.
'Of course, I can't forget this!' said Akinfeev. 'But Edwin was perhaps the least to blame. On the contrary, I remember three or four times when he really saved the Dutch.
'In general, Van der Sar is a world class goalkeeper who has established this over many years.'
