“They are the only players that can play in Real Madrid team, even bench their top players. Left for me I will selff every other players and buy new players that can play with them and compete for the league next season”-Rio Ferdinand names just three Man Utd players who have met expectations in the past seasons as he advises INEOS on what to do to complete for the league.
Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United defender known for his forthright views, has recently weighed in on the performance of players signed by Manchester United over the last decade, suggesting that only a select few have truly met the expectations set upon their arrival at Old Trafford. This critique comes against the backdrop of the club’s ongoing challenges in finding form and success similar to that experienced under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, who managed the team for 26 seasons.
Since Ferguson’s retirement 11 years ago, Manchester United, which used to dominate English football, has faced significant struggles. In an attempt to reclaim their former glory, the club has invested heavily in new talent, spending a jaw-dropping total of £1.4 billion on player transfers. This includes signing 14 players for fees of £50 million or more, highlighted by a record-breaking £89 million spent on Paul Pogba in 2016.
Despite these substantial financial outlays, many of the players brought in, even those with impressive reputations and lower transfer fees, have failed to deliver the expected impact. This underperformance is seen as a key factor in the team’s continued struggles on the field.
In a recent episode of The Sports Agents podcast, Ferdinand pointed out that of all the players recruited post-Ferguson, he believes only Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have consistently performed at a level befitting their reputations and transfer fees. According to Ferdinand, these three stars are the exceptions in a recruitment strategy that otherwise has seen players failing to meet expectations.
“Looking at the recruitment, there are only three players that I can remember who came in and made me think, ‘Okay, they’ve played at the level we would have expected,'” Ferdinand explained. He praised the consistent performances of Fernandes, Ronaldo, and Ibrahimovic, stating, “The only three players I thought that you go, ‘Actually I saw consistently what I expected to see from them.’ Everyone else just fell well short.”
As part of efforts to address these issues and enhance the quality of incoming talent, United’s new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has initiated some strategic changes in the club’s recruitment process. Notably, Dan Ashworth has been brought in as the new sporting director and Jason Wilcox as the technical director. Furthermore, the academy recruitment team is set to be bolstered by Sam Williams, joining from Ipswich to take up the role of chief scout.
These changes are aimed at improving the process of identifying and acquiring players who can deliver performances that match the club’s high expectations and storied history. With these adjustments, Manchester United hopes to better align its recruitment outcomes with its ambitious goals, moving closer to regaining its status as a powerhouse in English football.
