Topics: Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand, Premier League, Arsenal, West Ham United
Manchester United should have made a summer move for Declan Rice, according to Rio Ferdinand, who says the midfielder would have helped the dressing room culture with his "attitude and likeability."
After a lengthy transfer saga, Rice finally completed a club-record £105 million move to Arsenal in July.
The 24-year-old England international has since been a standout performer for the Gunners as they currently sit two points ahead of Liverpool in the hotly-contested Premier League title race.
Rice, who headed home a last-minute winner for Mikel Arteta’s side on Tuesday night as they came from behind to secure a 4-3 win against Luton, has received plenty of plaudits of late.
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And former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand is one of the latest pundits to sing Rice's praises.
In fact, Ferdinand believes the former West Ham midfielder would have made a monumental impact at his former side if he'd joined in the summer.
"Declan Rice, I said it before Man Utd he was the player I would’ve 100% gone and got," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE.
"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."
After the win over Luton, a confident Rice said Arsenal’s "never-say-die" approach can lead them to the Premier League title.
“I think last year they were eight points clear and obviously lost the title,” he said. “This year there definitely seems to be a different feel around the place in terms of being stern, being steady, being composed in big moments.
“Luton caused us a massive threat and it looked like we were going to drop points. But this season, it’s that never-say-die attitude that we’ve got that we keep pushing, keep fighting to the end and I think that’s our fifth goal in added time.
“I think we should start scoring some a bit earlier. But to score in added time, it shows what we are made of and we will never stop believing.”
Do you agree with Ferdinand? Should United have swooped for Rice before Arsenal? Let us know in the comments.
