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Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United to keep hold of their youngster Alejandro Garnacho after their 7-6 aggregate victory over Lyon in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League. The former United legend claimed that the Argentine is a 'devastating' player and will be a threat in the future for the Red Devils.
What did Rio Ferdinand had to say for Alejandro Garnacho?
While speaking to TNT Sports, Rio Ferdinand praised the 20-year-old young sensation and stated that he runs into spaces which further cause problems for the respective opponents. He wants his former team to not sell the youngster in the upcoming summer transfer window.
When there’s space to run into, Alejandro Garnacho can be a real devastating threat. Yes, he needs to work on that end product but he’s still a young and improving player so that will come. Stick with him. I believe Manchester United should stick with him, Ferdinand said via TEAMtalk.
This was not the first time that the 46-year-old defender has spoken in support for Garnacho. Last week on his podcast, Ferdinand claimed that the fans need to be patient with Garnacho as he is not a finished product like Cristiano Ronaldo, when he first arrived from Sporting Lisbon.
Decision-making is the last thing that clicks for young players. Only the superstar ones get it right at a young age. [Cristiano] Ronaldo wasn’t a decision-maker when he came in as a kid. The biggest thing players like Ronaldo had — those who weren’t the finished article — was that they were given time. We’re expecting Garnacho to be the finished article now, Ferdinand added.
Who says he won’t improve with time, with good coaching, by observing good practices from professionals around him, and by being in the right environment? I think we expect too much — from Garnacho and many young players. I’ve been guilty of that, too. I’m not comparing him to Ronaldo as a player, but I still see enough in this kid, especially in what is currently a bang-average team, Ferdinand further added.
Chelsea and Napoli are the two clubs who are interested in signing Alejandro Garnacho in the upcoming transfer window. Manchester United are open to sell the winger for a whopping £70 million.
Rio Ferdinand speaks on Manchester United's victory over Lyon
Rio Ferdinand spoke after Manchester United's 5-4 victory over Lyon in the Europa League quarterfinals second leg and claimed that it was something that he has never witnessed as a fan. He further added that the fans started to exit the Old Trafford after the penalty to Lyon that made the score line 4-2 with just 11 minutes left on the clock in extra time.
I’ve never seen anything like that as a spectator. It was an amazing thing. We saw so many fans leaving when it was 4-2 and you thought that was over. I said on commentary it would take more than a miracle to get back into it and now I’m actually a believer because that was outrageous, Ferdinand concluded.
Manchester United went on to win the clash 7-6 on aggregate, with five goals coming in the extra time on Thursday night, April 17. Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire all scored in the final seven minutes to turn the game on it's head and walk away with a 5-4 victory.
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