Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs have named a Manchester City player they feel would have thrived at Manchester United like Angel Di Maria if the Argentinian been given the chance.
Ferdinand and Giggs enjoyed trophy-laden careers at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson, but glory departed with the legendary manager when he retired in 2013.
Di Maria joined the club under Louis van Gaal but after a fast start found things difficult and lasted just one season after his £60m move from Real Madrid, leaving for Paris Saint-Germain for £44m and continuing his outstanding career as if his sojourn at United was a mere blip.
The playmaker has since described his period at United as a “sad experience” and a “negative spiral”, but Ferdinand believes Di Maria “was a United player” but suffered through Van Gaal failing to find a suitable role for him in the team.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, he explained: “You know, [Angel] Di Maria was a United player, I felt.
“But at the time, we played with a diamond, so he played left of a diamond. Or we played three at the back with two up front, and he played No.10.
“So we never really played his position, where we sort of scouted him off the right from Madrid, or now and again off the left. He never really played that position. But he was a United player.” Ferdinand replied: “I loved him.”
And Giggs then said he believes Jack Grealish would also have been an excellent player for the Red Devils.
He added: “It’s like Grealish. Grealish was a United player.” Ferdinand agreed: “Yeah, 100 per cent. He’s got the… [he just] wants it, innit?”
Grealish moved to City for £100m from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021 and played a key role in the Citizens treble-winning season in 2022/2023, but has struggled for game time since.
The 29-year-old still has two years left on his City contract and has been open about his struggles for consistency and a place in the starting XI.
“Last year, the whole year itself, it was weird because my little daughter was born, but apart from that it was one of the most difficult years – probably the most difficult year of my life for many reasons, on and off the pitch,” he said in February.
“I found it really difficult. But it’s a new year, a sort of fresh start, and hopefully, I can kick on from here. He added: “Listen, I want to start playing more often and have that rhythm – the way I was a couple of years ago when I was playing a lot of games in a row.
“I do find it difficult at times to come in and out of games, not really playing. Hopefully, I can keep training well and playing a few more games.”
Grealish is widely expected to leave the Etihad this summer, and while Newcastle and Tottenham have both been linked, The Athletic’s David Ornstein put forward an alternative club as an “interesting possibility”.
Asked if there are any takers for Grealish, Ornstein responded:
“I could see a move – presumably on loan – but I’m not aware of takers emerging yet and the big question would be how his salary gets covered.
“This is not information, just me speculating… I’d be intrigued to see if a club like Newcastle could help bring him back to the level we know he possesses and they’re among the teams looking to strengthen in the wide attacking areas.
“Tottenham are, too, but I’m not sure a switch to London would be on the agenda.
“Everton are an interesting possibility in my mind, especially as they need players, are heading into an amazing new stadium and that would keep him close to home in the north west.
“Villa is presumably a no-go.
“I personally still think he has plenty to offer at City, but we can’t deny it has been an unsatisfactory season – so it would be good to see him playing regularly and flourishing again, which might not be possible at the Etihad Stadium.”