Manchester United full-back Rafael hopes to remain at Old Trafford for the rest of his career.

The Brazilian was joined by his brother Fabio, a fellow defender, when he first moved to Manchester from Fluminense in 2008.

His sibling has since headed to Cardiff, but Rafael became a first-team regular under Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes, and now the 24-year-old wants to impress latest manager Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman, who ruthlessly cut loose some of his fringe players in the transfer window, will have the final say on whether Rafael is worthy of an extension to his current contract, which is due to expire at the end of next season.

"I am glad I am still here, but sad because a lot of friends have left," he told United Uncovered. "I want to keep going and stay here forever, if possible.

"I am glad I am still here, but sad because a lot of friends have left. I want to keep going and stay here forever, if possible."

Rafael

"It depends on me to play well, I need to play well. I just want to stay here.

"I came here at 15-years-old so I have to say that I feel at home here.

"I can never say enough about this club. It is one of the best clubs in the world, if not the best in the world."

Although diminutive in size, Rafael's role at United has been a big one since Gary Neville hung up his boots in 2011.

Upon his retirement, the former England defender earmarked Rafael as the man to succeed him in the position he occupied at the club for over a decade.

Ferguson once said Rafael trained "like a beast", but the defender now has a fresh responsibility at the club - one of mentor.

"When I first came here, I saw how a lot of players helped me like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes," he said.
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"Gary Neville, even though he played in my position, helped me a lot because he was one of the best right-backs in the world.

"I want to do the same when I see some young players come in. Sometimes it's difficult so my job is to try to help them.

"Before, I saw some players arriving, foreign players, and they just cannot understand anything and I was exactly the same.

"Sometimes, I still want to say: 'What are they saying?' It's so hard and I try to help them because I know how difficult that is."

Rafael, who made his first appearance of the season in last Sunday’s 4-0 thrashing of QPR, has won the Premier League three times and is desperate to bring back the glory days.

"I want to win the league again and I want us to get the winning way back," he said.

"Then everything will be like it's always been at this club."