Anderson, or "that absolute chancer" as most Manchester United fans know him, may be finally set for the exit door at Old Trafford after it has emerged that United are in talks with Brazilian club Internacional over a potential free transfer.
Anderson's career is a bit of a mystery. Initially tipped as the "next Ronaldinho", the cornrow sporting Brazilian came to the attention of European clubs after dazzling the crowds at his home town club Gremio. FC Porto were the first to take a punt, paying a reasonable €7m for his services, and his reputation continued to grow, despite missing a sizeable amount of his time in Portugal through injury, after he suffered a broken leg while playing against Benfica.
Manchester United are believed to have paid around £26m for Anderson when he made the move to Old Trafford in 2007, although the fee has never been confirmed. His early Manchester United career was a roaring success, as he won over the fans almost immediately with his dynamic, physical, box-to-box play. In 2008 he was awarded the 'Golden Boy' award, which is given to what football journalists believe to be the best young player in Europe, joining a prestigeous list of winners such as Lionel Messi, Mario Gotze, Wayne Rooney, and Cesc Fabregas, who would become immortalised in Anderson's famous terrace chant that proved incredibly popular with the Old Trafford faithful:
Many thought Anderson would be the box-to-box presence that Manchester United were crying out for, and some would argue are still yet to find, but it didn't happen for him. Injuries, weight issues, and unbelievably patchy form saw his role in the team reduced year after year, and after averaging 32 appearances a season in his first four years at the club, he has averaged 13 appearances in the 3 and a half seasons since.
He had some good moments on the pitch, of course. His performance away to Liverpool in his debut season, his emphatic penalty in the Champions League Final shoot-out win over Chelsea, and his early season form in 2011/12, when a midfield axis of Anderson and Tom Cleverley absolutely destroyed Arsenal in the famous 8-2 match, are all highlights United fans will remember fondly, but really, it was his off the field antics and general tomfoolery that became the defining memories of his career.
Always a supportive team-mate.
And never afraid to show off his dance moves.
A loveable scamp that nobody could quite understand.
He occasionally did some nice stuff.
But the sublime was eclipsed by the ridiculous.
The way in which his Manchester United career has fizzled out will be an immense disappointment to those who believed he would be come a top player, and on the other hand it will come as no surprise to those who gave up on him five or six years ago, but Anderson's time in Manchester United has been a memorable one, even if not for his on the pitch performances.
Oh, and let's not forget, he called out Sir Alex Ferguson in his ice-bucket challenge video.
