Rio Ferdinand Has Defended Newcastle Owner Mike Ashley And People Can't Believe It

Rio Ferdinand's comments about Mike Ashley haven't exactly gone down well with Newcastle supporters, this evening.

The former Manchester United defender has controversially claimed that he doesn't blame the owner for not spending money on transfers while he is trying to sell the club.

For months, if not years now, Newcastle fans have called out Ashley for a number of different reasons, including his lack of ambition in the transfer market.

But ahead of the club's Premier League defeat to Chelsea on Saturday night, Ferdinand defended Ashley and said the following in what has become a huge talking point on social media, tonight.

"I understand Rafa's frustrations because as a manager you want the ability to go out and spend money, but they're not in that position." he said on BT Sport.

"At the same time I understand Mike Ashley. Why is he going to spend more and more money - millions and millions of pounds - when he's actually looking to sell the club?

Ferdinand continued, saying Newcastle fans should aim to be a club like Bournemouth, rather than a Manchester City or Manchester United:

"He's got them to a point now where they're back in the Premier League and they're consolidating to a certain extent.

"He's not going to go spend his own money. You wouldn't go spend your own money now knowing you were trying to sell something unless you knew you were going to get that back.

"It's not easy to sell a football club. He's got a price and he's going to wait to get it. He's spent money at that football club, he's just not going to spend it at this time.

"All these fans, they do dream, and they dream big and I understand that. What are Newcastle's aims? They can't be aiming at being a Man Utd or a Man City. They've got to aim to be a Bournemouth.

"They've only just started spending. I'm not saying everything they're doing is correct. What I'm saying is, I think Mike Ashley, you can't hammer him and say that he should be spending when he wants to sell the club.

"You wouldn't spend on your house when you want to sell it."

Thoughts on Rio Ferdinand's comments about Mike Ashley?

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Topics: SPORT, Football News, newcastle, Chelsea, Football, Rio Ferdinand, BT Sport

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

@jackkenmare_