Rio Ferdinand: I was a nightmare to force Man United transfer and this is what Viktor Gyokeres must do

Rio Ferdinand has urged Viktor Gyokeres to take a similar stance to him prior to his move from Leeds to Manchester United. Like many at Old Trafford, the former United defender is hoping the club can begin its rebuild under boss Ruben Amorim this summer in response to last season’s dismal showing. Rio Ferdinand has offered a few words of advice for Viktor GyokeresRex Features United’s 15th-place finish was their worst in the Premier League era while a last-ditch attempt to secure Champions League football was diminished by defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final. Their failures were compounded by a lack of goals, particularly at Old Trafford, with United registering just 44 in total across the Premier League season. Amorim understands the need for further firepower next season with strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee netting just seven league goals between them. Attention has since turned to Sporting hitman Viktor Gyokeres who blossomed under Amorim at the Lisbon club and is desperate for a move away from the club this summer. The Swede was linked with a move to Arsenal which has cooled in recent weeks but a possible switch to Old Trafford is still a possibility. But Gyokeres has a huge hurdle to overcome in Sporting president Frederico Varandas. The striker is believed to have had a gentleman’s agreement in place to leave this summer for around £59million. However, Varandas has seemingly changed his stance and is demanding an £85m fee, much to Gyokeres’ annoyance. Ferdinand has urged Gyokeres to adopt a similar approach to his exit from Leeds in 2002 by applying pressure on the board to let him leave at what he deems to be a realistic price. “I’ll tell you one thing, I’d be in his (Varandas’) office and he wouldn’t be able to leave. I’d be in his bed, in his front room, his kitchen. He wouldn’t be able to get me out of his sight,” Ferdinand told talkSPORT. Ferdinand did some heavy lifting to push through his move to Old Trafford in 2002 “I’d be causing him a nightmare to get out if we had an agreement. I did that at Leeds. I heard Man United were interested in me and I knew Leeds had to let me go. “I went to Peter Ridsdale and said ‘listen, I know you need to sell me, let’s not haggle over a couple of million here or there. Get a deal done’. “I was there for hours waiting and he ended up getting the deal done.” Ferdinand admits he is unconvinced as to whether Gyokeres is the right profile for Manchester United despite the star having netted 97 goals in 102 games for the Portuguese champions. And while Ferdinand appreciates the striker’s prowess, he believes Napoli striker Victor Osimhen would prove to be a better fit for the Red Devils. “I think he has some really good attributes,” Ferdinand said of Gyokeres. “I’ve not seen enough of him to be totally convinced. The games I have seen him in in the Champions League against players that match him up physically, I think I’d love to see a bit more. Ferdinand would like to see Victor Osimhen land at Old Trafford this summerGETTY “But there’s no denying that he knows where the goal is. In Portugal, he’s been banging in goals and setting up goals left, right and centre over the last couple of years. “For Manchester United at this period in time, I would go for experience and someone like Osimhen. He’s experienced, played in multiple leagues and produced at every level he’s played at. I’d go for him.” Ferdinand also made reference to the global aura of Manchester United following the recent acquisition of Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian was quick to seal his move from Wolves to Old Trafford this summer without any hesitation despite the club’s current woes. “I think Man United still have that pizzazz that players go, I want to be a part of that,” he added. “And the big thing is, I think it’s still how it’s sold as well because Jason Wilcox is there now and I think he’s got to be going, ‘you know what, look at how bad it’s been and look at these guys, they’re all superstars still.’ “They’re known everywhere they go. Imagine if you’re the one that comes in as a catalyst for change for good here. What that could do, what that would be for you. GettyMatheus Cunha recently sealed a £62.5m move to Man United[/caption] “All these players have egos, they want to hear that. That’s the type of sound pitch that I’ll be going in with. “But at the same time, with all due respect, Cunha is not the type of player in years gone by that would have been their first signature signing. “So, he’s coming from Wolves where he did quite well there, but no one was going, ‘he’s one of the best players in the Premier League’. “So there’s still a level that Man United are having to buy at that’s different to what we’ve seen in years gone by, but I think he’s a very good signing. “I think sometimes there’s players that get bou

Musventurenal

0 2

Rio Ferdinand: I was a nightmare to force Man United transfer and this is what Viktor Gyokeres must do

Rio Ferdinand has urged Viktor Gyokeres to take a similar stance to him prior to his move from Leeds to Manchester United.

Like many at Old Trafford, the former United defender is hoping the club can begin its rebuild under boss Ruben Amorim this summer in response to last season’s dismal showing.

Rio Ferdinand has offered a few words of advice for Viktor Gyokeres

United’s 15th-place finish was their worst in the Premier League era while a last-ditch attempt to secure Champions League football was diminished by defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final.

Their failures were compounded by a lack of goals, particularly at Old Trafford, with United registering just 44 in total across the Premier League season.

Amorim understands the need for further firepower next season with strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee netting just seven league goals between them.

Attention has since turned to Sporting hitman Viktor Gyokeres who blossomed under Amorim at the Lisbon club and is desperate for a move away from the club this summer.

The Swede was linked with a move to Arsenal which has cooled in recent weeks but a possible switch to Old Trafford is still a possibility.

But Gyokeres has a huge hurdle to overcome in Sporting president Frederico Varandas.

The striker is believed to have had a gentleman’s agreement in place to leave this summer for around £59million.

However, Varandas has seemingly changed his stance and is demanding an £85m fee, much to Gyokeres’ annoyance.

Ferdinand has urged Gyokeres to adopt a similar approach to his exit from Leeds in 2002 by applying pressure on the board to let him leave at what he deems to be a realistic price.

“I’ll tell you one thing, I’d be in his (Varandas’) office and he wouldn’t be able to leave. I’d be in his bed, in his front room, his kitchen. He wouldn’t be able to get me out of his sight,” Ferdinand told talkSPORT.

Ferdinand did some heavy lifting to push through his move to Old Trafford in 2002

“I’d be causing him a nightmare to get out if we had an agreement. I did that at Leeds. I heard Man United were interested in me and I knew Leeds had to let me go.

“I went to Peter Ridsdale and said ‘listen, I know you need to sell me, let’s not haggle over a couple of million here or there. Get a deal done’.

“I was there for hours waiting and he ended up getting the deal done.”

Ferdinand admits he is unconvinced as to whether Gyokeres is the right profile for Manchester United despite the star having netted 97 goals in 102 games for the Portuguese champions.

And while Ferdinand appreciates the striker’s prowess, he believes Napoli striker Victor Osimhen would prove to be a better fit for the Red Devils.

“I think he has some really good attributes,” Ferdinand said of Gyokeres. “I’ve not seen enough of him to be totally convinced. The games I have seen him in in the Champions League against players that match him up physically, I think I’d love to see a bit more.

Galatasaray player celebrating a goal. — Ferdinand would like to see Victor Osimhen land at Old Trafford this summer

“But there’s no denying that he knows where the goal is. In Portugal, he’s been banging in goals and setting up goals left, right and centre over the last couple of years.

“For Manchester United at this period in time, I would go for experience and someone like Osimhen. He’s experienced, played in multiple leagues and produced at every level he’s played at. I’d go for him.”

Ferdinand also made reference to the global aura of Manchester United following the recent acquisition of Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian was quick to seal his move from Wolves to Old Trafford this summer without any hesitation despite the club’s current woes.

“I think Man United still have that pizzazz that players go, I want to be a part of that,” he added. “And the big thing is, I think it’s still how it’s sold as well because Jason Wilcox is there now and I think he’s got to be going, ‘you know what, look at how bad it’s been and look at these guys, they’re all superstars still.’

“They’re known everywhere they go. Imagine if you’re the one that comes in as a catalyst for change for good here. What that could do, what that would be for you.

Matheus Cunha recently sealed a £62.5m move to Man United[/caption]

“All these players have egos, they want to hear that. That’s the type of sound pitch that I’ll be going in with.

“But at the same time, with all due respect, Cunha is not the type of player in years gone by that would have been their first signature signing.

“So, he’s coming from Wolves where he did quite well there, but no one was going, ‘he’s one of the best players in the Premier League’.

“So there’s still a level that Man United are having to buy at that’s different to what we’ve seen in years gone by, but I think he’s a very good signing.

“I think sometimes there’s players that get bought based on how they play against you. He played against Man United at Old Trafford and absolutely tore United up and I think he left horror marks at Old Trafford after that game.”