• Vitesse Arnhem player moves as back-up to Patrice Evra • Transfer causes some surprise in Holland

This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Manchester United have bought the left-back Alexander Buttner from Vitesse Arnhem, according to the Dutch club. The fee is undisclosed but is not thought to be more than £3.9m for a player who has never been capped by Holland.

Buttner, 23, has been bought by Sir Alex Ferguson as cover for Patrice Evra, with Fabio Da Silva, his former understudy, on loan at Queens Park Rangers.

Buttner had also interested QPR and Southampton before his transfer to Old Trafford.

Although he is yet to play for Holland he was part of a pre-Euro 2012 squad that trained while some of the senior players took a break.

The move to United has caused some surprise in Holland as he is still considered a player of raw potential.

Buttner said: "I'm travelling to Manchester this evening [Sunday] and I'm very delighted that such a big club bought me."