© Getty Images Enlarge Victor Valdes' Manchester United team-mates have been asking him about Barcelona life

Chris Smalling hailed Victor Valdes as a natural Manchester United player as the goalkeeper could be on the brink of debuting for his new club.

Former Barcelona player Valdes, 33, signed an 18-month deal at Old Trafford earlier this month and is tipped to make his United bow when they face League Two Cambridge in the FA Cup on Friday. Centre-back Smalling said the Spain international, who has been training with United since October, has impressed his new team-mates with his athleticism and reflexes.

He told MUTV: "He is someone that we all look up to through what he's achieved already in his career but you can see that he's nowhere near done yet.

"On the training field he's so sharp and you can see that he's very agile. He's such a great addition and is a name that really belongs here at Manchester United."

Smalling revealed that United's players are intrigued by Valdes' tales of life at the Nou Camp. Valdes, a former colleague of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, played 535 games for Barcelona, winning the Champions League three times and La Liga six times.

And Smalling added: "We've heard a few stories from him and quite a few people here have asked him questions. Barcelona is another great club and you want to get some insight of what happens abroad as well."

United's first-choice goalkeeper David de Gea has been an ever-present so far this season but manager Louis van Gaal is expected to give Valdes more opportunities than Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos have had during in his reign.

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