Rio Ferdinand has fired back at a fan who compared him to a current Manchester United star on social media, despite having publicly waxed lyrical about the player previously. It has been a major period of transition at Old Trafford, and the Red Devils are a far cry from the team that dominated English football when Ferdinand was at the heart of the defence.
However, there were positive signs in the way Ruben Amorim's side played during the 1-0 defeat of Arsenal in the opening game of the Premier League season, with the back three specifically being singled out for praise. However, the comparison with one of those three prompted a strong response from Ferdinand on social media, who clearly felt that it was unjust.
Ferdinand Rejects Comparison to Current United Star
Manchester United
Manchester United
Taking to X, one United fan account used Ferdinand as an example of where some of the club's greatest centre-backs were at 19-years-old in comparison to Leny Yoro, who is currently that age. The post stated: "At 19 years old, Rio Ferdinand was on loan to Bournemouth. At 19 years old, Nemanja Vidic was playing for Red Star Belgrade. At 19 years old, Jaap Stam was playing for FC Zwolle. At 19 years old, Leny Yoro is playing for United. He has such a high ceiling."
Of course, the notion is that the teenager is playing at a higher level in his youth than Ferdinand and co, but the former TNT Sports pundit had something to say about that. He left a comment under the original tweet to debunk the theory, saying:
"Brooooo I had played nearly 100 PL games by 19 & had made my England debut."
The fan account then responded with a screenshot showing Ferdinand's Wikipedia page, where a loan at Bournemouth was highlighted. However, there was clearly a mix-up with the dates, as the defender actually played for the Cherries between the ages of 17 and 18 in a loan spell that lasted just two months. At 19, he claimed the West Ham Player of the Year Award.
Despite the rebuttal, Ferdinand is known to be a big fan of Yoro, having personally welcomed him to the Theatre of Dreams last summer when United snatched him up amid interest from Real Madrid and Liverpool. He also spoke glowingly about the wonderkid during the club's pre-season tour, telling MUTV that "Yoro, I think, is a fantastic talent. The prospects, the talent, isn't a question."
"It's about fulfilling that talent, that potential, and I think he's a serious person, works hard.
"His desire is to be better every year and keep working, and long may that continue. If he continues like that, who knows what his ceiling is going to be?"