Nemanja Vidic

Nemanja Vidic is a powerful defender who is the current club captain of Manchester United.

Widely regarded as one of the most dominant centre backs in European football, he is known for his uncompromising, physical style and fearless approach to defending, but is also an astute reader of the game and a serious weapon in the opposition penalty area from set pieces.

Nemanja has formed a magnificent central defensive pairing with Rio Ferdinand at Old Trafford and their partnership was instrumental in the Reds’ Premiership record of 14 consecutive clean sheets in early 2009.

A product of Red Star Belgrade’s youth set-up, Nemanja got his first taste of senior football on loan with Spartak Subotica in 2000 before returning to Red Star, where he was soon appointed captain at the age of just 20.

After three successful years as skipper in the Serbian capital, he moved on to Spartak Moscow in Russia, where he started to catch the eye of a number of top European clubs. Nemanja joined United in January 2006, and after a shaky start he started to show just why there was such fierce competition for his signature.

He established himself as first choice in 2006 and has yet to relinquish that status, collecting numerous honours along the way and earning cult status among the United faithful, as well as inheriting the captaincy from the retiring Gary Neville in 2010.

A serious knee injury deprived the Reds of Nemanja’s services for most of last season, but he will be back next term to lead the club’s bid to regain the Premier League title.

Nemanja has been a pivotal part of the Serbian national side’s miserly defence in recent times, earning 56 caps for his country, but he retired from international football in October 2011.