The right-back admits he was very close to joining the Black Cats on loan last January, but opted to take the chance of Premier League football with Aston Villa.

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He finally arrived on Wearside yesterday, with Sunderland paying up to £2million for the 22-year-old.

Bardsley, who used to live near United's training ground, said: "Roy Keane was one of my heroes as a kid.

"To have him as my manager now is something special. As a player at Old Trafford he always got the best out of the young lads. He always expected the best and I am sure he will get the best out of me.

"I was close to coming last year, but I went to Villa to test myself against the best.

"I'm delighted to be here to prove myself to everyone."

Bardsley is confident third-from-bottom Sunderland can avoid relegation.

He said: "We have got to roll our sleeves up and get down to work. There are some very hard games coming up, but I watched the Portsmouth game and the lads were terrific.

"If we can perform like that we can climb the table."

Bardsley was a United team-mate of Sunderland's Kieran Richardson when the Red Devils' kids won the FA Youth Cup five years ago.

He also played with Jonny Evans, who is back on loan with the Black Cats.

"I spoke to Jonny in the summer and he loved his time here," said the defender.

"I'm sure he's delighted to be back. Kieran and I came through together since we were 14 or 15.

"It is always difficult leaving a club you have supported and played for, but time moves on and it was getting a bit frustrating. It was time to move on."

Bardsley – Keane's third signing this month after recruiting Evans as well as French centre-back Jean-Yves M'voto from Paris St Germain – played in United's 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light in October 2005 – his only 90 minutes for United in a league match.

He added: "It's a terrific ground. A great pitch and a great atmosphere – the fans were crazy!

"I'm just looking forward to putting on a Sunderland shirt. I've not played for a couple of weeks, but I'm fit and ready."

Keane added: "We needed to strengthen our defensive options and Phil will be a good addition."

Bardsley has enjoyed several loan spells in the last four years. He played six games for Royal Antwerp, United's Belgian feeder club, from January to May 2004, then joined Burnley in March 2006, playing six games for the Clarets, helping them keep four clean sheets.

Bardsley, who can also play at centre-back (the position he occupied in his first season with United's youth team) spent the whole of last season out on loan.

He had a four-month stint with Rangers, playing seven games for the SPL giants (with five clean sheets and a red card), before joining Aston Villa in January last year, making 13 appearances for Martin O'Neill's side.

This term, he joined Sheffield United – managed by another of his boyhood idols, Bryan Robson – in October, playing 16 games on loan with the Blades, before returning to Old Trafford.

Bardsley played eight league games for United (including three starts, with a total of 303 minutes), as well making 10 cup appearances.