“He is quick with the ball, really good dribbler, makes good decisions and a good passer” – Rio Ferdinand hails player set to join Manchester United
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong will be a good signing for Manchester United.
De Jong played under Ten Hag at Ajax and was one of his most prominent players to help the club reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
“I’ve always thought he was a top player,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe With Five YouTube show.
“I’ve watched him closely in the Champions League semi-final year, I got to see a lot of him as part of the BT team. They’re saying Frenkie de Jong could be the first player to come in under Erik ten Hag and I would be saying ‘yes, great signing’.
“He’s not huge in terms of frame but he is quick with the ball, really good dribbler, can get out of tight situations, makes good decisions, good passer, his balance and dribbling ability are really good.
“[Man United] are a team who are looking for players who can control the ball and control the game and get the team functioning in terms of balance and possession, I think he would be a good addition.
“He’s not a player who scores loads of goals like Bruno Fernandes, but he’s more about dictating the game. He gives you much more other elements in the game that United need.”
He added: “This season United are definitely losing Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata – so United do need reinforcements and I think he would be a fantastic signing if this deal goes ahead.
“His relationship with Ten Hag – he thrived under his management while he was at Ajax. For me he was the outstanding player in that team. He was integral in what they did. He’s been to a big club in Barcelona and done okay there.
“It’s hard to play under big expectations where you’ve got to win. He won’t have that pressure at Man United right now but he could be part of the rebuild under Ten Hag. It would be smart to bring in someone he knows and trusts and believes he can go on and do big things in a team he believes in.”