ERIC DJEMBA-DJEMBA believes he has no hope of pinching Roy Keane’s place at Manchester United. In fact, the Cameroon international will be happy to get a spot alongside him at Old Trafford. Many see the former Nantes midfielder as the natural heir to Keane’s dominant midfield role.
But Djemba-Djemba said: “It is not a case of coming to United to take his place — he is the boss.
“He is one of my role models, like Claude Makelele at Real Madrid. If I have a career like them, I will be more than happy.”
The £3.5million signing has impressed in his brief appearances for United after his summer move from France.
But he still believes that, at 22, he is not the player Keane is.
Djemba-Djemba said: “I am going to learn a lot from playing with him. It will be the young and the old.
“He may be 10 years older than me but, while he has less speed, he has more intelligence than me.
“He is a man of character and he plays hard.”
Djemba-Djemba, who was nicknamed Cantona when at school in Cameroon, is determined to be a success in the Premiership.
He added: “You have to be strong in your head to play in England. If you are mentally strong, you will succeed.
“Those who are not will play somewhere else. I will learn every day.”
By NEIL CUSTIS
