Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is already taking Japanese lessons from new teammate Shinji Kagawa!

The £17million recruit from Borussia Dortmund needed a police escort upon his arrival at Manchester Airport as ardent Japanese fans and television crews awaited the Japan international.

The 23-year-old appeared unfazed, however, and smiled throughout before heading to his first training session with his new team-mates hours later at the club's Carrington HQ.

Defender Ferdinand revealed the club's summer signing has wasted no time in teaching him some new skills... the art of speaking Japanese.

He told his legion of followers on social networking site Twitter: "My 1st Japanese lesson, I should have referred to him as Kagawa Shinji, which is how he will be referred to on all Man United mags/progs etc."