Rio Ferdinand, former captain of Manchester United, expressed his opinion on the club’s search for a No. 9 striker in an exclusive interview with TNT Sports. With just a month remaining until the start of the Premier League season, Ferdinand made it clear that Harry Kane would be his dream signing for the Red Devils, despite the links to Victor Osimhen.
Manchester United, who haven’t won the league title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013, finished third in the Premier League last season under the management of Erik ten Hag. They won the League Cup, their first silverware in six years, but Ferdinand believes that a talismanic striker is needed to close the gap on perennial winners and rivals Manchester City. He emphasized that winning a trophy is a must.
Ferdinand’s preference for Kane stems from the need for immediate goals. He pointed out that the striker they had last season, Wout Weghorst, failed to score a single goal. Kane, who is entering the final year of his contract with Tottenham, has attracted interest from Bayern Munich and is currently Tottenham’s record goal scorer with 280 goals in 435 appearances. Ferdinand believes that Kane’s familiarity with the Premier League would eliminate any acclimatization issues, making him an ideal signing for Manchester United.
Reflecting on Manchester United’s progress under Ten Hag, Ferdinand acknowledged the team’s improvement despite a slow start to the previous season. Securing a place in the Champions League, Ferdinand expects the team to continue their development in Ten Hag’s second season at the helm. He stressed the importance of consistency and maintaining confidence throughout the campaign to challenge Manchester City.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Ferdinand stated that winning a trophy is a must for Manchester United. While targeting improvement in the League Cup, he believes the team should also set their sights on the FA Cup or even the Champions League. Manchester United’s Premier League campaign will kick off against Wolves on August 14, and their first match to be shown on TNT Sports will be their clash with Burnley on September 23.
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