Manchester United have some very impressive players in the ranks right now, but two have impressed Rio Ferdinand for a very specific reason.
This summer has been incredibly busy for Rio Ferdinand, with the former Manchester United defender over in the USA covering pre-season.
Ferdinand has spoken glowingly about Kobbie Mainoo, urging Ruben Amorim to build his whole team around the midfielder, who he says has the world at his feet.
Additionally, Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney have both praised Matheus Cunha together during their road trip across the USA.
Consistently spoken about as a club legend, when Ferdinand speaks, people listen.
Now, Ferdinand has been discussing two members of the United squad who he has been shocked by after seeing them around the club hotel.
Rio Ferdinand admits being shocked by Ayden Heaven
Being over in the USA with the players, Ferdinand has spoken with Bryan Mbuemo already, with the pair sitting down for an interview. There have also been stories of Ferdinand meeting several others and also Amorim.
But on Tuesday, Ferdinand was sitting down to preview the 2025/26 season alongside Stephen Howson, in which the topic of physically big United players came up.
Ferdinand admitted he was impressed by the size of both Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu.
“Talking about players who surprise you with how big they are, I saw Heaven the other day… he’s taller than me! I didn’t realise this when I watch him, bro. I looked at his feet and I thought ‘you got heels? no? You’re big innit’, and he went ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’.”
Ferdinand then mentioned Dorgu.
“Dorgu’s tonk, I didn’t realise as well, he’s got a bit of depth.”
These were United’s first signings under Amorim, and both being physically impressive was an early sign of the desire for this quality by the head coach.
Ruben Amorim is getting the added athleticism he wanted at Manchester United
From the very beginning of his time in charge, Amorim has identified United’s weak physicality.
Erik ten Hag built a squad which simply wasn’t cut out for the Premier League, and it was a problem United have set about fixing.
There is no surprise that each of United’s first four major signings under Amorim have been physical in their own way.
Dorgu and Heaven are powerful and tall respectively, while this summer’s arrivals of Cunha and Mbeumo are both quick and powerful in the attack, being a big difference from others who have played in the positions.
Amorim set about improving the intensity and pre-season has shown this is already happening with plenty more to come.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/JcfSOPh