Sir Alex Ferguson ignored Rio Ferdinand pleas to sign Tottenham pair including ‘another Chicharito’
Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson ignored his advice to sign two Tottenham stars who impressed the Manchester United centre-back on international duty.
Ferdinand played under Sir Alex for a decade at United, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League in the process, but the legendary boss didn’t listen to the defender’s transfer pleas.
Ferdinand told Vibe With Five: “Aaron Lennon one time when he was young and got in the team, oh my god, he stopped and started a few people and went through the middle of the pitch and all of us were like [open mouthed].
“Like Fergie, I’ve gone, ‘from what I’ve seen in training, if he can replicate it in games, we need to get this guy’.” Pressed for comment on what Ferguson thought of Ferdinand’s glowing assessment of Lennon, the former defender added: “[He] Just never moved on it.”
Lennon was starring for Tottenham at the time, along with Jermaine Defoe, another player Ferdinand was keen on playing with at Old Trafford.
Ferdinand added: “The one player I always used to say to him [Ferguson] if you want to buy someone from our England team… Defoe,” the 44-year-old added.
“Because he wouldn’t have started for us [Manchester United] all the time, but it would’ve been another type of Chicharito [Javier Hernandez], that he comes on and all he cares about is scoring, and if we’re winning 5-0 he’ll want to make it 6-0.
“He’s got that inner, ‘I need goals, I live, smell and breathe goals’. We would’ve got him in so many positions to score it would’ve been a joke.”
Ferdinand has also spoken out on the news that Sir Jim Ratclife is set to take a 25 per cent stake in United, close to a year after the Glazer family opened the door to new shareholders.
He said: “We’ve not had it explained what 25 per cent looks like from a business standpoint, to appease the anxiety. Most fans wanted a new ownership. It’s not that now, so communication is vital.
“If Mr Ratcliffe is coming in and wants to hit the ground running, show some signs of influence. One of the key areas he needs to zone in on is communication with the fanbase.
“They are so important with the tone around the ground and that influences players. If you can control the hype, you have a better chance of keeping the dressing room tightknit and emotions to a level to perform.
“At the moment, the grey area for every single element of the football club is not healthy.”
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