Rio Ferdinand has recalled the exact moment that he realised one Manchester United star was “level-headed” after crossing paths with the player’s family.
Manchester United kicked off their 2024-25 Premier League season last week with a 1-0 win over Fulham at Old Trafford.
Joshua Zirkzee came off the bench and the United summer signing broke the deadlock in the 87th minute against Marco Silva’s side.
Erik ten Hag received a major boost with United’s win in their Premier League opener after suffering a defeat to Manchester City in the Community Shield.
The 54-year-old Dutchman committed his long-term future to Old Trafford in the summer after he signed a new contract extension with United.
Erik ten Hag is keen for United to bounce back in the 2024-25 campaign after suffering their worst league finish in Premier League history last season.
United limped to eighth place in the 2023-24 campaign, with Ten Hag’s men signing off last season on a high note with their FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
Ferdinand’s reaction to Man Utd star
Amid Manchester United’s turbulent 2023-24 season, Erik ten Hag saw a shining light emerge in the form of England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
Kobbie Mainoo had a breakout season at Old Trafford and firmly established himself as a key first-team player under United boss Ten Hag.
The 19-year-old Stockport-born player’s impressive season with United earned him his senior England call-up during the March international break.
Mainoo went on to be selected for England’s Euro 2024 squad and played a key role in the knockout rounds for the Three Lions in Germany.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott waxed lyrical about what he has seen from Mainoo so far.
Ferdinand then revealed he crossed paths with Mainoo’s family at Euro 2024 in Germany and he became convinced of the player after his conversation with them.
“I met his family during the Euros and that was one of the things that stood out for me,” he said on his new show ‘Rio Presents.’
“I heard exactly what you just said. After my conversation, 10 minutes, talking to his mum, his dad, his sister his brother, I walked away and went, ‘Okay, he’s here to stay. He’s here to stay.’
“He’s grounded, level-headed, good people around him, yeah.”
Keane and Neville dropped big praise on Mainoo
Former United captain Roy Keane admitted that he has been “hugely impressed” with Mainoo’s emergence and praised the player’s “maturity” at such a young age.
“What he [Mainoo] has shown is a lot of maturity,” he told Sky Sports.
“He has to back it up, you are playing in the middle of the park for Man United. But he made it look very easy, his reading of the game and maturity.
“Hopefully, he can back it up injury-free. I have been hugely impressed and fingers crossed.”
Speaking on Mainoo, Gary Neville added: “He has handled big games from minute one.
“Cup finals, scoring in cup finals, big away games. He was the player in such a poor team that you could rely on.
“To then do what he did in the tournament, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Gallagher had played there and he became the answer.
“What a mesmerising start, the only thing that can stop him is himself.”
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