Wes Brown has revealed that not even Rio Ferdinand nor Nemanja Vidic had the same influence on him as one former Manchester United star at Old Trafford.
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are regarded as two of the best Premier League defenders of all time and had a memorable partnership together at the Red Devils.
Wes Brown came through the Manchester United youth academy in the 1990s and broke into the Red Devils’ first-team squad during his time at Old Trafford.
The 46-year-old former United defender shared the pitch with United legends Ferdinand and Vidic during his Red Devils playing spell under Sir Alex Ferguson.
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Former Manchester United players Wes Brown and Wayne Rooney arrive pitchside ahead of the Emirates FA Cup final match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in 2024 in London, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
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Wes Brown admired both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, but Laurent Blanc stood out for the former Man Utd defender
Speaking on The Soccer Archive, Wes Brown was asked about his experience as a Manchester United player around a whole star-studded roster of star names.
Ranging from Gary Neville and Jaap Stam to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, Brown was not left short of options to choose from for a major influence.
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However, the Man Utd treble winner turned his attention to Laurent Blanc and was left in awe at the “immaculate” approach of the former Sir Alex Ferguson signing.
“It was Laurent Blanc,” Brown said.
“I mean, obviously, he comes to United at a very late age in his football career. You know, his positioning, his talking, what he would do against defenders.
“Obviously, he wasn’t quick by then, but everything else was immaculate.”
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Can you recall the player who scored two goals for Man Utd, including in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final match?
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Wes Brown on his dynamic with former Man Utd star Laurent Blanc at Old Trafford
Laurent Blanc was 35 years old when iconic former United manager Ferguson landed the Frenchman in a deal worth £2.5m from Serie A side Inter Milan in 2001.
The former France international was brought to Old Trafford as an immediate replacement for Jaap Stam, who was axed from United and sold to Lazio for £16.5m.
According to BBC Sport in 2001, Ferguson hailed the signing of Blanc and how his “experience” would be “vital” for young players like Brown and Mikael Silvestre.
Brown insisted that his time alongside the veteran Blanc, who played for the likes of Barcelona and Napoli, was a major part of his development at the Red Devils.
“And we had a great relationship and I learned you know a lot of little things [from] him [Blanc],” he added.
Blanc lifted a Premier League title during his spell under Ferguson and the former Marseille and Montpellier defender made 75 appearances for the Red Devils.
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