Are you happy with the ways things have gone for you since moving to Old Trafford?
"When a player is offered the chance to play for Manchester United, they do not hesitate. I certainly didn't. The club has to be among the best four teams in the world. It’s been a tremendous surprise. When you come to Old Trafford everything is very different to start with. I have to thank all my team-mates and the backroom staff for helping me along the way."
When did you first become aware of United's interest in you?
"I'm always very respectful of the club I am playing for at the time. So I had no contact with United until the end of the season. That was the first time I spoke to anyone from the club. You always take care over a decision like this, you don’t just jump into a decision. But once I had the opportunity to speak to people from the club, I could tell there was a real desire to sign me. That made me really keen to join after that. That helped me make up my mind."
Did you feel you were put in a difficult position when Argentina asked you to play at the Olympics meaning you missed the start of the season with United?
"I have a deep-rooted love for playing for my country, so I was never able to say no to my obligations. When I signed for United I had a professional responsibility to do my utmost for the club and I was dying to play for them. But I'm never going to turn down playing for Argentina because I love my country."
What do you think of the support from the fans in this country?
"It's really good having the fans behind you. It makes you put in more effort, it makes you want to keep going until the end of the game. While I'm very grateful for the response I have had, I always go out to give my absolute utmost on the field. I'll continue to do that. It's a fantastic experience playing at Old Trafford. I think it's fair to say that it's the dream of most footballers to play in front of a crowd of 67,000 like at Old Trafford. The stadium is full every week which is amazing. It's each player’s dream."
What's it like when you hear United's fans singing "Argentina, Argentina"?
"It's a really special feeling, especially when you consider what an England-Argentina fixture means in football terms. Of course, off the field there have also been problems historically between the two countries, so it makes it even more special that the fans will chant "Argentina" during the games."
United fans like players who give everything on the pitch and your style is very much suited to that. Do you feel like you've built a rapport with the fans here?
"I can feel that there is a bond between myself and the supporters, but that is perhaps easy in the first few months of being here. The hardest thing for me is that I want to maintain that."
How do the United games with Arsenal and Liverpool compare with the clashes between Boca Juniors and River Plate in Argentina?
"They’re very similar. If you’re a Boca fan and your team has just lost to River Plate, you’ve got to go to work on Monday morning and take stick for an entire week! That’s the same when United play Liverpool or Arsenal. They are ‘all or nothing’ games; there’s always a lot of passion around these kind of derby games because there’s so much at stake."
Is it true you were voted the hardest tackling player in French football?
"I was considered a hard-tackling player in France. But, while I'm a hard-tackling player, I always try to go for the ball. I've only ever got good intentions when I go into a tackle. I think my record in France proved that. In three seasons I only had seven bookings and two red cards. That's not a bad record. You could say, though, that my style is about getting stuck in. That is part of my characteristics as a player."