What are your first impressions of Manchester United?

It's a massive, massive club. But it's a bit like Bayern Munich in the sense that there's a family atmosphere. There's such a tight-knit group, especially around the team, and so far everyone has been fantastic, very accommodating. Everything is taken care of for you, which is something that happens at big clubs. Of course I've been here plenty of times with England, trained plenty of times, and I've got to know the ground and some of the staff behind the scenes. So far it all looks great.

Given your family roots, do you feel like you've come home now?

It definitely is home for my family. My mum's in Rhyl, which isn't far away, and my dad's family is from Farnworth, so both families are really within a few minutes really. My mum and dad moved to Canada 20-odd years ago to work, I was raised there and my two brothers are still there. But obviously all our family ties are still here. Playing for England, and now with the opportunity to play for the biggest team in the world in an area where all my family is… that's a dream come true. It doesn't get any better. I'm really excited and looking forward to the next four seasons.

Were United's England players bending your ear about a move?

Not really. After the World Cup I spoke to Gary Neville a bit. But just being around all the players who play at United, all the things they say about the club and the manager speaks volumes. And once it became apparent that United were interested, then they were all asking, "When are you coming?"

What do you know about Nani and Anderson, the other new arrivals?

Funnily enough, towards the end of last season I remember watching highlights of the Portuguese league. I didn't know who Anderson was, but he stood out. He crossed the ball and set up a goal with the outside of his right foot - you don't really see that too often - and I remember thinking, "Who's that?" I didn't really think any more of it, then a friend of mine told me United had just signed two players and one was him! He looks a fantastic talent, so exciting. And Nani… he was a target for Bayern Munich last season.

A scout was trying to tell the club to sign him but they didn't. They're two fantastic young talents and I think they'll be great signings. I look forward to seeing them up close. They're very different players from myself so hopefully I can practise my defensive skills on their offensive skills in training.

You and Sven will be on opposite sides when it comes to this season's Manchester derby…

I think he's a proven manager wherever he's been, and I think he will be a fantastic addition to Manchester City. Obviously he has his critics but I personally think he's fantastic. He had quite a lot of success with England… it's a shame we couldn't have progressed a bit further. Obviously we lost on penalties in the Euros and in the World Cup - those could have gone either way and then you're in the semi-final of the tournament. I think the success was there to be taken, we just never really made the last step.

Given your wealth of European experience, is the Champions League a top priority next season?

It's difficult to say. The Champions League is the biggest competition in football, besides the World Cup, and all the big teams strengthen each summer because they have the goal of winning the Champions League. But it's difficult. Only one team can win it, there are so many fantastic teams - even in England there are so many of them - and the competition is fierce. Being at United is the same as it was at Bayern Munich: it's a must to reach the quarter-finals of the competition at least.

And in the meantime there's a league title to defend…

The Premier League is extremely important because it's what the fans watch and what you play in, week in, week out. That's something I've never won, so it's something I'm looking forward to this season, trying to help United repeat that success. The Champions League would be the icing on the cake, and at United expectations are high, so I think we'll be among the favourites next season to win the Champions League. But you're expected to win every competition. Everybody always wants to beat you because you're the favourites. Whether it's the FA Cup, Carling Cup, Champions League or Premier League, we'll be the frontrunners, and people will be looking to displace us from the top.

- Read the full interview in Inside United magazine, available to buy from Wednesday, 1 August.