Rio Ferdinand has sensationally claimed on his YouTube channel that he offered to move to Arsenal in 2014.
What’s the story?
Talking on his channel, the former Manchester United defender claims he offered his services to Arsene Wenger. However, he revealed the Frenchman turned him down.
Ferdinand claimed he could have helped Wenger fix the dressing room culture at the club. The Premier League legends says the FIFA official was right to turn him down based on his time with QPR.
The Englishman left Old Trafford in the summer of 2014 after a long and distinguished career. The majority of his career was spent battling Wenger’s army in one of the best rivalries English football has seen.
But it seems the retired centre-back had no issue joining the north Londoners.
When talking about a move to Arsenal, Ferdinand said: “By the end of my career, when I was leaving Man United, I saw Arsene Wenger in a hotel, and I said to him: ‘Arsene, listen I’m leaving United now. If you want, I’ll come there and try to help you, help the dressing room.’
“He didn’t take me up on the offer, and he was right, because the performances at QPR were not up to the level. But, in the changing room, I believe I could have helped him, in that sense, because I think that’s where a lot of the culture derives from.”
Ferdinand would have been a disastrous signing
Signing has-beens is not just a present-day issue for Arsenal.
The problem runs way back to August 2008, when the north Londoners completed a shock move for Mikael Silvestre.
Signing a veteran, past his best, was never going to be successful, and it turned out exactly how many thought it would – a disaster.
The trend continued later in 2015, when Petr Cech joined the Gunners.
David Luiz made the move from west London to Chelsea to mixed effect. He won the FA Cup, but the jury is out on whether his performances were of the best standard.
Finally Willian joined last summer in one of the worst transfers in Arsenal’s recent memory. Just one goal across a whole Premier League season shows you how well the Brazilian did…or didn’t do.
Looking back at his displays for QPR, it is a good thing Ferdinand didn’t complete a move to Arsenal in 2013.
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