Ferdinand says Ronaldo ‘doesn’t really want to be a No 9’

Matt Stead

Rio Ferdinand claims former Manchester United teammate doesn’t actually want to play as a No 9.

Ronaldo has emerged as a potential transfer target for United this summer, with the Real Madrid forward facing allegations of tax evasion.

United are known to be seeking an ‘out-and-out striker’ this transfer window and Ronaldo could therefore be a viable option.

The Portuguese would cost a world-record sum however, which would be a difficult price to justify for a 32-year-old.

Ferdinand, who was at Old Trafford for the entirety of Ronaldo’s six-year stay, does not feel his former teammate actually wants to play as a central striker.

“I don’t think he really wants to play as a No 9 because he can be tied down there and he can be left a bit isolated,” Ferdinand told Goal.

“He likes being able to come from the wide areas where he gets a little bit of space and that’s where he can do his magic.

“But he used to stand out wide and want to get the ball and take people on. He’s not that player any more.

“He wants to get the ball in areas where he can hurt teams and have end product, which is goals or assists, and at the moment there’s no better man on the planet doing that.”