“Just never moved on it” – Rio Ferdinand claims Sir Alex Ferguson ignored his request to sign Tottenham star at Manchester United
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has opened up about how Sir Alex Ferguson disregarded his advice to acquire the services of Aaron Lennon, his former England teammate. Lennon had shared the Leeds United academy grounds with Ferdinand and was a part of England's World Cup roster in both 2006 and 2010.
Tottenham Hotspur ultimately snatched Lennon from Leeds United in a £1 million transaction back in 2005. However, Ferdinand disclosed in a recent episode of Vibe With Five that he had been in Ferguson's ear about the possibility of bringing the winger to the Theatre of Dreams.
Ferdinand reminisced (via Metro):
"Aaron Lennon one time when he was young and got in the team, oh my god, he stopped and started a few people and went through the middle of the pitch and all of us were like [open mouthed]. Like Fergie, I’ve gone, ‘from what I’ve seen in training, if he can replicate it in training, we need to get this guy’."
When pressed on what the legendary manager's reaction was, Ferdinand revealed:
"Just never moved on it."
Aaron Lennon's career trajectory has been nothing short of intriguing. With Tottenham, he racked up 362 appearances, netting 29 goals and amassing 78 assists. His stint with Burnley wasn't as prolific, featuring in 87 matches with three goals and four assists.
At Everton, he played 77 times, scoring nine goals and contributing six assists. Lennon also returned to Leeds United for a spell, logging 43 appearances, one goal, and four assists. He eventually moved on to Turkish club Kayserispor, where he made 36 appearances without scoring but provided 5 assists.
Lennon has now retired, but Manchester United fans will muse over how his story might have unfolded had he moved to Old Trafford instead of White Hart Lane.
Rio Ferdinand highlights need for communication ahead of Sir Ratcliffe's 25% purchase of Manchester United
Rio Ferdinand has put forth some crucial advice for Sir Jim Ratcliffe. As the British billionaire nears the finish line in his bid to acquire a 25% stake in Manchester United, Ferdinand has emphasized that the first item on Ratcliffe's agenda should be fostering effective communication.
Speaking as a TNT Sports pundit to the Daily Mirror, the former Manchester United defender said (via Manchester Evening News):
"Communication is vital. If Mr Ratcliffe is coming in and wants to hit the ground running, show some signs of influence, one of the key areas he needs to zone into is communication with the fanbase. They are so important with the tone around the ground - that influences players."
The door to Manchester United's boardroom has swung wide open for Ratcliffe after Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani bowed out of the takeover race earlier this month. How Ratcliffe runs the club could dictate the atmosphere around Old Trafford and potentially shape the club's fortunes on the field.