WHO'S THE BEBE NOW?

Manchester United have secured the signature of Tiago Manuel Dias Correia from Vitória de Guimarães, but was this shock transfer based on a return favor though?

The recommendation to sign Bébé came shortly after Sir Alex Ferguson's generous words in court to testify on his former right-hand man Carlos Queiroz's behalf.

Queiroz, the current manager of Portugal, was on trial for insulting anti-doping testers that were sent to test the national team prior to their involvement in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In or around the time that the anti-doping team was sent to the Portuguese camp, Nani was sent home with an apparent shoulder injury, which raised speculation that the winger was using performance enhancing drugs.

Those rumors went quiet, but the reaction of Queiroz became louder, and if convicted of the abuse, he will lose his position as the Portugal manager.

Bébé, 6'3" tall, had just signed for the Portuguese side 10 days earlier, and Sir Alex decided to match the buyout clause in his contract - which is a reported £7.4 million - and bring him to Old Trafford.

The transfer for the former Homeless World Cup star comes as a complete shock as United already had seven strikers - Dimitar Berbatov, Mame Biram Diouf, Javier Hernandez, Federico Macheda, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck - in their first-team.

Sir Alex Ferguson is a manager that takes a lot of risks and gambles on young, unproven talent, so this move for Tiago Manuel Dias Correia could prove to be another diamond in the rough.

Contributed by David Hammons / United View From Abroad