Rio Ferdinand is an absolute Manchester United legend. After retiring from professional football, his work in the media has even caught the eyes of many, further enhancing his reputation and popularity in the sport, especially in England, with a particular interest in Manchester United.
His job as a pundit means he’ll say things many won’t agree with, and whether he’s criticizing a player, club, or manager, his views, as they should be, are very perceptive, making him an easy target for criticism. Rio Ferdinand’s last claim involving Manchester United and Arsenal surely didn’t help his cause on social media.
Rio Ferdinand believes Mikel Arteta will pick Manchester United over Arsenal
Mikel Arteta is doing an incredible job at Arsenal, and it is clearly evident. Since joining the North London club to replace Unai Emery permanently, the Spaniard has hugely improved the Gunners, turning them into title contenders and winning a couple of domestic trophies at the club.
Despite his huge investment of time and effort, Rio Ferdinand believes the Arsenal manager would ditch his project at the club if Manchester United made him a target, which many believe to be an absurd claim, especially coming from a man like Ferdinand. “Mikel Arteta would leave Arsenal to join Manchester United, 100%,” the legendary defender claimed.
“If Man United say top of the list is Arteta, Arteta is going in and saying to the lads, ‘Listen, guys, it’s been emotional, but I’ve got to move; I’ve got to go’,” he added. That claim seems far-fetched because Arsenal are in a better place than Manchester United and have been for the past few seasons. The Gunners are on a scoring spree in the Premier League, scoring over 20 goals in their last six league games and chasing Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the table.
Fans brutally troll Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand’s claim may have come from a place of sentiment, considering his love for Manchester United, but there’s no denying the absurdity of the statement, especially from those related to Arsenal. For context, Mikel Arteta has reportedly turned down the chance to return to his native Spain to manage one of the most traditional football clubs, Barcelona, following Xavi’s announcement that he’d be leaving at the end of the season.
Rio Ferdinand’s statement did get him some sticks on social media, with several fans giving their thoughts on the United legend’s statement. “Rio is smoking something really nasty,” a Twitter user claimed.
“One of the worst pundits on TV,” another user lashed out. Several other users claimed Rio Ferdinand just wanted to say something controversial and proactive to aid his relevance in the media.
Do you think Rio deserved to be mocked by fans? Tell us in the comments section.
