Rio Ferdinand Names the One Player Man Utd Made Huge Error Getting Rid of

Rio Ferdinand has singled out the one player Manchester United made a huge mistake in letting go. The former Red Devils defender has grown frustrated with the club’s long, winding road back to its glory days, highlighting a persistent weakness in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era: their struggle to navigate the transfer market effectively.

United have a tendency to sign promising talent only for it to go to waste amid a lack of direction at the top. At the same time, they often hang on to players for too long, unsure who to sell, who to keep, and when to make those calls, which came to a head last season when they recorded their worst-ever Premier League finish, while the likes of Antony and Scott McTominay enjoyed success elsewhere.

It’s a vicious cycle that continues to drain the club, and Ferdinand – ever passionate about his former team – recently revealed on his podcast the one player he believes should never have been sold. While he didn’t say it outright, it’s clear that letting this particular player go has set United back by years.

Ferdinand Claims United Should Never Have Let David de Gea Go

Ruben Amorim is stuck between a rock and a hard place with Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana – two goalkeeping options who have recorded more blunders than clean sheets. But all could have been dealt with in that department had United just kept ahold of David de Gea, who is now proving his worth at Fiorentina.

Having been asked by one of his viewers about the club’s decision to let the Spaniard run out his contract and leave for free in 2023, Ferdinand said (watch the full segment below):

“I would’ve never sold David De Gea. Whoever allowed him to leave the building should’ve been made redundant and not worked in the game again.”

He continued: “You can’t be winning Golden Gloves at your football club and be the best player in the team, player of the year probably three or four times out of six or seven years and then go be told ‘see you later’ when you’re coming into your best years.”

Ferdinand Would Sign Adam Wharton “In a Heartbeat”

In the same segment, Ferdinand also admitted he would “sign Adam Wharton in a heartbeat,” pointing to United’s midfield frailties that were laid bare in their recent draw with Fulham. Alex Iwobi summed up how the Cottagers earned their result in just a few blunt words during his post-match interview.

For all the money United have poured into their forward line, the team still looks short of legs in midfield – an area where Crystal Palace’s young talent could make a real difference. But with only three days left in the summer transfer window, it remains to be seen whether the club will move for anyone else after finalising a deal for Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who some believe could usurp Andre Onana and rekindle memories of the David de Gea era.