Anderson has blamed injury for his disappointing Manchester United career after ending eight years at the club by signing for Porte Allegre’s Internacional.

Since moving to Manchester from Porto for around £26m in 2007 the midfielder won four Premier Leagues, the Champions League, two League Cups and the Fifa Club World Cup. Yet throughout his time in England he was troubled by injuries and issues with his weight, and he made only 70 Premier League starts.

But on joining his hometown club, the 26-year-old said: “I played for eight years for Manchester. I would like to thank the club. In my first four years I won everything there, Champions League, Premier League and Clubs World Cup. I had a knee injury and returned to play again too fast. I played but the knees were not equal and I got myself injured again.”

Anderson suffered six separate knee injuries while playing for United. After problems in June and September 2009, the most serious came in February 2010 when an anterior cruciate ligament injury ruled him out for the rest of that season. Further injuries occurred in February and November of 2011 before his last issue with his knee, which came in March the following year and ended Anderson’s season.

Regarding the issue of his suspect weight, he said: “Do you think I’m not fit? A player will always be criticised. I had injuries in the past, but I have to be quiet right now and answer in the field.

“It will be a pleasure play in a club such as Internacional. I want to be happy as I was in other clubs. I’m coming back to Porto Alegre because Inter went after me. The president gave me attention. I was training [at United] but not playing.”