Rio Ferdinand has explained how a comment from Ryan Giggs perfectly captures why there’s one current Manchester United player he wishes he’d had the chance to play with.
Ferdinand was speaking on the club’s official podcast, joined by former teammate Phil Jones.
Over his long career at Old Trafford, Ferdinand established himself as one of the top defenders in Premier League history.
He played much of his career under Sir Alex Ferguson and won nearly every major trophy available during his time with the club.
During that period, he picked up six Premier League titles, two League Cups, and a Champions League trophy before Ferguson stepped down as manager in 2013.
Rio Ferdinand recalls Ryan Giggs’ Man Utd ‘statement’ and thinks it applies directly to a player like Bruno Fernandes
Speaking on the Inside Carrington podcast, Rio Ferdinand was asked which current Manchester United player he would have liked to line up alongside.
The former TNT Sports pundit picked out Bruno Fernandes, who many consider the club’s best signing since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.
Bruno Fernandes has made a huge impact at Old Trafford since arriving in 2020 and remains an influential figure for the team. Now 31, the Portuguese midfielder continues to be at the heart of Manchester United’s play.
Ferdinand believes that the Portugal international perfectly sums up Ryan Giggs’ three all-important features that are necessary for a United player at the club.
“A player I think could have played in our team would be Bruno,” he said.
“I said when I was talking to him earlier, Giggsy made a really good statement, he said there’s three things you need to be a United player.
“You need to run, take risks and have imagination; if you were describing Bruno, that’s him.”
Rio Ferdinand explains what sets Bruno Fernandes apart at Manchester United
Bruno Fernandes has already picked up both the FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Manchester United, and he was handed the captain’s armband by Erik ten Hag.
There were rumours about a move away from Old Trafford last summer, but Fernandes decided to stay put, turning down an offer from Al Hilal to continue leading the side.
This season, his role has changed a bit. Ruben Amorim has been using him in a deeper midfield position, which has affected his output slightly.
But even with those changes, Fernandes is still an important piece of the puzzle for United this season. Rio Ferdinand highlighted just how much of an impact he’s had since joining the club.
“His numbers are ridiculous. Nobody has created more chances than him since he’s been in the Premier League,” Ferdinand said. “He has the quality and he has the mindset to be in our team.”
Fernandes, who remains under contract at Old Trafford until 2027, currently holds five goals and seven assists across 17 appearances in all competitions this campaign.
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