Rio Ferdinand tells Man Utd to sign England star ahead of Liverpool and Real Madrid
'I think he would be a great addition.'
Rio Ferdinand wants Manchester United to sign an England player this summer along with a Premier League star.
The need for new signings at Old Trafford has been abundantly clear during Ruben Amorim’s difficult spell in charge of the club.
Ferdinand has urged his former club to bolster Amorim’s squad with several new additions, starting with England midfielder Adam Wharton.
Wharton enjoyed a breakout season for Crystal Palace last year, starring in the second-half of the campaign to earn a place in England’s squad for Euro 2024.
Injury ruled Wharton out for the first-half of this season but the 21-year-old former Blackburn Rovers man has started to impress since coming back into the side.
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Wharton’s form has attracted interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid but Ferdinand wants Manchester United to sign him instead.
Palace reportedly value Wharton at £70m and stand to make a huge profit on a player they signed for a little over £20m.
‘I would sell another central midfielder this summer to play alongside Manuel Ugarte,’ Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel.
‘That player needs to be able to take the ball and transfer it up the pitch. You know who I would do for? Adam Wharton.
‘I would go and get him. The reason I would take him is he can get on the ball and transfer it up the pitch, he’s got a great range of passing.
‘I think he would be a great addition to the United squad. He reminds me of Michael Carrick a bit.’
Ferdinand wants Manchester United, currently just 13th in the Premier League, to sign another top-flight star in Matheus Cunha.
Cunha is expected to leave Wolves this summer and was heavily linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea during the January transfer window.
But United have also expressed interest in the Brazilian, who has a release clause of £62.5m.
‘Another one I’d buy is Cunha,’ Ferdinand said. ‘He’s made it clear he wants to leave, I would buy him if I was Manchester United.
‘Cunha for one of those No. 10 positions would be great because he’s a really dynamic player.’
Perhaps the most pressing concern for Manchester United and Amorim, given Rasmus Hojlund’s struggles at Old Trafford, is a new striker.
Ferdinand believes Victor Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, would be the ideal addition at United.
Osimhen is said to be keen on a move to the Premier League, with a permanent move to Turkey unlikely and a return to Napoli off the table while Antonio Conte is still in charge.
‘There’s just no experience in the forward players at Manchester United,’ he added. ‘They need a new centre forward and I’ve been going on about that for ages.
‘I don’t want no young, upstart either. I don’t want a young guy who’s coming to learn his trade. I want an experienced striker who knows his way around a football pitch.
‘I’m sorry Napoli and Galatasaray but if I’m Man United, Osimhen comes this summer, I’m making that happen.
‘We need Osimhen, we need experience and someone who knows how to score. That’s what we need.’
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