How important has Antonio Valencia been to Manchester United this season?

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BBC Sport reported on Friday afternoon that Manchester United defender Antonio Valencia has signed a one-year extension to his contract that will see him stay at Old Trafford until at least 2019.

The 31-year-old had signed a one-year extension back in January to keep him until 2018, but a highly impressive season has seen the club extend this by 12 months –  with the potential for a further year.

Valencia has been rewarded for playing an instrumental part in Manchester United’s silverware filled season, helping them add EFL Cup and Europa League success to the Community Shield.

Speaking about his new extension, he said:

“I am absolutely delighted to have signed a new contract.

“Manchester United has been my life since 2009. I would like to thank the manager for the confidence he has given me and I am sure that we will be challenging on all fronts next season.”

Valencia first joined Manchester United from Wigan almost eight years ago now, and since then his transformation from a right-winger to a right-sided defender has been nothing short of sensational.

First tried out under previous manager Louis van Gaal, the 31-year-old always possessed the over-lapping ability but struggled to adapt to his defensive duties, often exposed and out of position on the right.

Yet, in Van Gaal’s final season at Old Trafford, he began to show signs of adapting to his new role and, alongside the emergence of Marcus Rashford, he was one of few bright sparks of a dismal few years.

Since then his career has been taken to new levels under Jose Mourinho, with the Portuguese boss giving him the backing and confidence to play his natural game and develop him well defensively.

The Ecuadorian’s entire season was encapsulated late on against Middlesbrough at the Riverside back in March when, into injury time, he chased after an innocuous pass back to Victor Valdes at lightning speed and rushed the goalkeeper into a mistake before stabbing home to seal the points.

This moment showcased just how much desire Valencia has on the football field, and completely epitomised how committed he is and his willingness to run right until the full-time whistle blows.

It’s also clear to see that Valencia has been pushing himself hard as a footballer in the past two years; despite posing a threat with his pace, he’s always been predictable whenever attacking on the right-flank, accelerating towards the by-line before drilling a fast-paced ball into the area hoping for a touch.

Yet since the arrival of Jose Mourinho he’s been working on his weaker foot and it’s shown, now varying his approach on the edge of the penalty and having the confidence to utilise his left foot.

And this confidence in his ability going forward, as well as his immense stamina to run up and down the right-hand side, has paid dividends this season, making three assists and creating 32 chances.

This productivity inside the area is more than the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford and just goes to show the impact he has in the final third.

Approaching 32-years-old, Valencia is one of the most experienced members of the current Manchester United squad and there’s a big sense of trust between him and manager Mourinho.

The fact that Mourinho gave Valencia the nod as captain for the Europa League final triumph over Ajax on Wednesday night also hints that – should Wayne Rooney leave – the Ecuadorian could potentially be the chosen one to take over as full-time captain of Manchester United for the start of next season.

This is a huge compliment, but based on the season that he’s had at Old Trafford there wouldn’t be many Manchester United fans arguing against it; it would be just reward for an exceptional year.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Ai Kagou.