Rio Ferdinand pinpoints two transfers Man Utd should target - "He's unreal"
Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United to add both Kevin Danso and Ronald Araujo to their defensive ranks in a bid to bolster Erik ten Hag's squad.
It's not like the Red Devils boss has a lack of options at centre-back, but there are believed to be mounting concerns internally over the persistent fitness issues of both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, the latter of whom has broken his foot twice in the space of six months.
As a result, Ten Hag is tasked with prowling the transfer market in search of more durable options to occupy the heart of his defence. Of course, the Dutchman could also call upon the likes of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans, but again there are doubts over whether either are suitable long-term solutions.
Ten Hag may not have to search too hard, however, as club legend Ferdinand has identified two players United should look to sign in the coming window. The former England international is of the belief his old side are crying out for an athletic, physical presence if they are to make sufficient progress.
"The boy at Lens, [Danso] there’s one there, he’s good,’ Ferdinand told the Manchester Evening News. "The Uruguayan boy at Barcelona – Araujo. Whether he’s gettable or not, I think he’s brilliant. He’s an unreal centre half.
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"He has every attribute to be perfect for the Premier League. I’d probably say he’s the standout, but whether he’s gettable or not, I don’t know. I’ve always said this – to be a successful team, you need that foundation of a solid defence and to be able to pick similar players."
Ferdinand continued by adding that the recent title winners have been able to call upon a similar level of quality throughout their defence, something that has been lacking at Old Trafford. He added: "I think you look at the teams that have won recently – Liverpool and Man City – they’ve had consistency in their backlines of players featuring, especially in important stages of the season. And maybe United haven’t been afforded that.
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Rio Ferdinand has urged United to try and sign Barcelona star Ronald Araujo"But Martinez has been a huge, huge loss. His personality, his character, his ability on the ball has been exactly what Ten Hag wants and United were at their best last season when those two were playing together. But, again, with every person who falls away and gets injured, there’s an opportunity for someone else and at the moment, Harry Maguire seems to have that shirt. Hopefully that form continues now."
Up next for United is the not-so-small matter of a Manchester derby, as they welcome local rivals and reigning champions Manchester City to Old Trafford on Sunday. Maguire and Varane are likely to line up as a central defensive pairing once again, hoping to record their second successive clean sheet after Tuesday's 1-0 win over Copenhagen.
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