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Rio Ferdinand names two Man Utd stars who shouldn't have been allowed to leave

Defenders Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic left a gaping hole in the Man Utd defence when they were sold in 2014, but the pundit identified two players who should have been kept as their successors

Rio Ferdinand has revealed the two players who Manchester United should not have sold.


United’s last Premier League title came back in 2013 when Ferdinand still played for the club. Since then, they have fallen well behind their domestic rivals and neighbours Manchester City, who have won seven league titles and a Treble.


Former Red Devils centre-back Ferdinand believes the sale of two key defenders contributed to United’s sharp decline, with the side now sitting in sixth and eight points off the top four. And he described their departures as a “travesty” on his YouTube channel FIVE.


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Ferdinand explained: “I've said this many times, it was a travesty that they sold Jonny Evans. He should never have been allowed to leave.

“He was the best defender, the best centre back, when I left. When me and [Nemanja] Vidic walked out of the door, the experience, the old timers, we were gone, he was the best defender that you've got. I just couldn't believe that he was allowed to leave.

“Him and Chris Smalling, to be fair. I don't believe they should have been allowed to leave, I thought they knew the fabric of the club. You need those types.”


Do you think Evans and Smalling should have been kept? Let us know in the comments section below.


Ferdinand left United for Queens Park Rangers in 2014 after 12 years at the club, signifying the end of an era. At the time, youngster Smalling was one of the talented players expected to step up and replace the England legend long-term, but he was offloaded to Roma in 2020 after a year on loan in Serie A.

Meanwhile Evans, who won three league titles under Sir Alex Ferguson, was allowed to leave to West Brom in 2015. The Northern Irishman spent arguably his best years at West Brom and Leicester, and only returned to Old Trafford last summer to add some much-needed stability at the back.

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United have splashed out on various defenders over the past decade with limited success. Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly were mediocre signings at best while Harry Maguire arrived for a record sum and was stripped of the captaincy after a catalogue of errors.

Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane’s time at Old Trafford has been blighted by constant injuries, with Evans now a regular starter at the age of 36.

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