Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has bemoaned the club’s failure to sign Declan Rice in the summer.
Rice was linked with United and Manchester City, but eventually joined Arsenal from West Ham.
Mikel Arteta’s decision to spend a club-record £105 million on Rice has been rewarded with a series of Man-of-the-Match displays.
After United’s 2-1 win over Chelsea on Wednesday night, Ferdinand told Vibe with Five: “Declan Rice, I said it before Man Utd he was the player I would’ve 100% gone and got.
“You could argue there’s midfielders with more ability than him but I would argue that it’s only Jude Bellingham that comes near him in terms of being able to get into a dressing room and trying to get control of that dressing room and get the respect of that dressing room on day two, three, four, straight away.
“Not only with performances and standards and helping with the culture and the environment but the attitude and the likeability factor, the respect factor that he would get straight away.
“That’s why I thought he more than anybody it was important that Man United should’ve gone and got and they allowed Arsenal to go and get him.”
EPL: Rio Ferdinand names Arsenal player Man Utd should have signed
