David Silva is behind more goals than any other midfielder, having a total of 17 goals and assists, followed by Gareth Bale on 16. Nani and Mata are tied on 13, Valencia and Nasri on 10, Giggs with 9 and Young on 7. However, when you take in to consideration the games they’ve actually played in, specifically focussing on starts, Giggsy comes out top with an impressive 1.13 goals scored or created per each start. This is followed by Valencia with 0.83, Silva on 0.81, Bale on 0.73, Nasri on 0.67, Nani on 0.65, Young on 0.64 and Mata on 0.62.

In reality, he had been bought as a right winger, with the idea that Wayne Rooney would take up the burden of scoring our goals. Valencia was there to fulfil the traditional roles for his position of scoring a few, assisting more. In his first season that’s exactly how it worked out. He scored 7 goals in all competitions and assisted 9. He effortlessly made the step up to showing he was a player of United quality and settled in to our style of play immediately.

His second season was more or less over just a few weeks in after he broke his ankle against Rangers. He came back in to the team ahead of schedule in March though and hit good form pretty much instantly. He managed to force Nani, who was voted our Players’ Player of the Season out of the Champions League final team.

However, after picking up another injury on International duty this summer he missed out on the pre-season and lost his place in the team again. Ashley Young and Nani have both made great starts to the season and there wasn’t much opportunity for Valencia to try to prove his worth.

Luckily for him, United suffered a whole host of injuries at the back, with our first choice and cover for right-back missing. This allowed Valencia to have a go and for the most part he’s done well. His performance against Norwich was one to forget but generally I like the attacking threat he poses at right back, whilst still being solid enough defensively.

With Nemanja Vidic, Chris Smalling and Rio Ferdinand likely to return to fitness after the International break, Valencia will lose his place at right back. So, where does this leave him?

“There’s a natural instinct in him to help out and defend,” said Ferguson. “Of course, we know all about Antonio’s qualities as an attacker, but he’s so quick and so powerful that he’s also suited to a full-back role. He’s incredibly difficult to beat if you’re trying to get around him. We also see him as an option in the centre of midfield. He’s very disciplined and able to carry out any instruction we give him.”

I’d never really considered Valencia as a central player, despite his appearances there for his country, although hearing the manager mention it got me thinking. The guy is nails and I would love to see him getting stuck in all game. Can you imagine how much fun it would be seeing other team’s hardest players bouncing off him when they went in to make a challenge?

Rio Ferdinand spoke about Valencia on Twitter last season after seeing him “throw weights around” in the gym, insisting that he was the strongest winger in the league. Remember when running at speed against Everton last season he shrugged Leighton Baines off like he was an U-15? Tough players like him, who are also skilful, are a dying breed. Would it be worth a go? Would Valencia be up for it?

“I’ve played at right-back a few times and I’ve enjoyed the position,” he told United’s official Spanish website. “I respect regular players in that position as they pick up quite a few knocks. But I have also played back on the wing this season and I’m happy anywhere on the field. I hope to be ready and to play well when the boss calls me.”

I’d personally prefer us see Jones in the centre of the park, even just as a trial run, because of the qualities he could bring to the position. Bryan Robson played in the centre of defence at West Brom before making the move to midfield and you could easily imagine Jones doing the same. Despite our young defender’s claims that his preference is defence, if Rio and Vidic are both fit, you would imagine they would get the starting positions and he would be keen to play anywhere. It would be good for him to have experience of playing elsewhere and if he pulls it off, we finally have the player we’ve been waiting for since Keano left six years ago.

Whilst we are still having injury problems at the back though, maybe Valencia is worth a punt for midfield. His pace may be wasted here and he may be out of his depth in the centre of the park after spending so much time on the right, whether as a winger or a full-back, but without sounding too negtive, it’s not as if what we already have in place is so special it isn’t worth trying someone else out. Anderson and Cleverley made a great start to the season but our Brazilian has struggled to make the same impression when playing alongside Carrick and Fletcher, who have both failed to set the world alight when given their chance.

Valencia in midfield? Go on Fergie, give it a go.

“I am delighted to stay at United,” he said. “Since my first day at Carrington, I have been happy here. I hope that I can continue to develop as a player. I am looking forward to making my contribution to helping this squad compete for more trophies.”

“We are in the process of finalising that,” said Gill. “Antonio has been away at the Copa America and we’ve been away here in the US, but that’s broadly sorted out. That should be announced next week, when we’re back. Antonio initially signed for four years, so he’s got two left. The length of the deal will come out as and when, but it’s a longer-term deal.”

During Ecuador’s Copa América match against Paraguay, Valencia picked up an injury which the team doctor said nearly fractured his ankle again. The initial hopes were that he would just miss one game then be ready to face Brazil, however he hasn’t recovered in time so the club believe Carrington is the best place for him.

“Antonio has gone straight back to Manchester,” said Ferguson. “He got an injury playing in the first game for Ecuador so he is back in Manchester. It is nothing serious but he wasn’t going to be taking part in the rest of Copa America, so there is no point in him coming out here if he is injured. We have the facilities back at Carrington. That is the best place for him.”

Thankfully, Ecuador’s team doctor, Tony Ocampo, has today confirmed that Valencia will miss just one game.

“[His opponent] stepped on his foot and very nearly fractured it again,” he said. “He has a bruise on the spot where he has a titanium plate, he couldn’t put his weight on his foot, but the swelling has gone down about 40 per cent since Sunday. He won’t make it for Saturday but he’ll be there for Brazil.”

Ecuador play Brazil on July 13th.

The £16m winger, who joined us from Aston Villa, is only beaten by Cesc Fabregas on assists since 2007-2008, which puts the pressure on Valencia to keep his place.

However, Valencia believes that every player will get their opportunity to impress next season, and with two years on his current deal, isn’t worried about the future.

“I heard about this on the news – I do not fear his arrival,” he said. “The season is long, and under Alex Ferguson everyone will get their chance in United’s key matches. Ashley is a good footballer and I believe that he will help us towards even more success next season. As for myself, I have two seasons left at United and I am convinced I will fulfil those. And maybe a few more years, too.”

The idea of “decline” is raised time and again because of Liverpool FC. They dominated English football in the late 70s and throughout the 80s but then fell away once the back pass rule was introduced/Premier League years began. Because they went in to decline, going 21 years now without a league title, the assumption is the same must one day happen to United. Liverpool went in to decline after dominating, so United must too.

Of course, this is flawed logic. Thankfully, as much as reds may grumble on match days, United wielded their marketing muscle, bringing in a global fanbase and the riches that came with it. Liverpool, a far more successful club at the time, missed the boat, and have never caught up.

The introduction of the Glazers has made “a decline” more likely but their presence doesn’t mean we’re certainly doomed to 21+ years of mediocrity.

Regardless, with the £80m transfer money from Ronaldo, the manager went out shopping. Just like Michael Carrick was viewed as a disappointing replacement for Keane, far lower down on the list of options that included the likes of Gattuso, Essien or Ballack, Antonio Valencia was hardly the name on everyone’s lips for the Ronaldo replacement before the deal had been confirmed.

Whilst everyone could see that he, along with Wilson Palacios, was too good for Wigan, there probably weren’t too many United fans who thought he was good enough for our club. The press made lazy comparisons between Ronaldo’s amazing scoring record with Valencia’s. In 89 games with the pie eaters, he had managed just 7 goals, never scoring more than 3 in a season in all competitions. Ouch. Whilst it was clear that we weren’t in the market to find a winger who scored the goals Ronaldo did, mainly because he was The Best Player In The World and often played up front, rather than just on the right, we probably thought we were looking for someone who had shown more promise in front of goal.

Still, we’d seen how Valencia had bombed down our right wing at Old Trafford that season, giving John O’Shea a run for his money, so there was some hope amongst the fanbase. There was nothing but sneers and mockery from the media and rival fans.

At the end of his first season, there wasn’t anyone questioning whether he was a “Manchester United player” or not. You’ll be hard pushed to find many players in Sir Alex’s reign who have had a better début season. Not just fast and keen to take players on, but incredibly strong and useful defensively.

He scored 8 goals and assisted 9 during that season and whilst this wasn’t a replacement for Ronaldo, he helped Rooney become that replacement. The two just seemed to click.

Sadly, Valencia’s second season hasn’t gone as well, only because of the nasty injury he suffered so early on. As he hit the deck against Rangers and was stretchered off, you feared for his season, for his career even. But a few months later, he was back in action, playing well and giving us another option. He came back at a vital time and helped carry us over the finish line for the 19th title.

He didn’t cover himself in glory against Barcelona in the final, I suppose none of our players did, but ahead of kick-off, he was one of the players you knew without any doubt was going to be in the line-up, which is a rarity for any of our midfielders this season.

Can you imagine if in Rome, watching our lads picking up their losers medals, someone told you Ronaldo would be off and Wigan’s Valencia would replace him in our next final in two years time? You’d laugh your arse off. There was no way he was good enough. Shows how much we know.

It looks beyond doubt that Ashley Young will be signing for Manchester United sooner rather than later, and despite him having a bigger name for himself than Valencia did, the general reaction is fairly underwhelming.

In Young’s last four years, he has scored at least 13 goals per season (although some of these are penalties). He had 11 assists this season (only bettered by Fabregas, Drogba and Nani), last season it was 10, the season before that it was 9, and before that, 17. Is that the sign of a player who is failing to reach the standards set in 2008? Or is it a player with bags of ability who has been stuck in an average team?

He isn’t a young lad any more though, turning 26-years-old next month, but that doesn’t mean he has to be the finished article either. Playing with the champions, could that amazing 2007-2008 form be replicated? He’s not short of confidence and with the greatest manager working his magic, could we have someone really special on our hands?

Young wouldn’t be my first choice but he’s not an awful option for us to have. Valencia wasn’t anyone’s first choice either but I imagine he would in the first choice XI for all of us now. If Valencia can step up a gear and make us a better team, there’s no reason why Young can’t too. Watch this space.