Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and more: How Man United might look with Rio Ferdinand in charge of transfers

Could Ferdinand be United's next technical director?
Getty Images

If Rio Ferdinand had been overseeing Manchester United's transfer strategy in recent years, the squad would look very different right now.

Paul Pogba would still be there. Ferdinand has repeatedly described the France midfielder as a Ballon d'Or winner-in-waiting.

But it's difficult to see how many other signings over the past six years he would have rubber stamped under his watch.

For instance, he declared John Stones a priority target before the England international joined Manchester City in 2016.

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He stopped short of describing the then-Everton defender as the new him - but it was clear he saw Stones as the outstanding English centre back of his generation and therefore United were obliged to lure him to Old Trafford.

"I don't care how much it is, you get him," Ferdinand said at the time. "You are getting a player for 10 years.

"Him and Raphael Varane are the best in the world, so I wouldn't be looking at anyone else."

United did look at Stones, but ended up signing Eric Bailly instead.

In total they've signed four centre backs since Ferdinand's departure in 2014 - Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof - and still head into this summer in need of a world class option in that position.

Stones has been integral for club and country. 
PA

Would that be the case if they'd followed Ferdinand's advice?

If the former England international's role as a BT Sport pundit has proven anything, it's his appreciation of talent.

If that sounds like an over-simplification of the qualities required to be a technical director, it's still a major part of the job. And it's a quality United are in desperate need of as they try to close the gap on Manchester City and Liverpool in the space of one transfer window.

Ferdinand's repeated sermons on the powers of Cristiano Ronaldo suggest a major bid would have been made to bring him back to Old Trafford – even on the wrong side of 30.

While his very public call to Jadon Sancho to head to the red half of Manchester in recent times is further evidence that he is in tune with the direction Ed Woodward and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer want to take the club by targeting the best emerging talent from these shores and abroad.

Sancho firmly on United's radar.
Bongarts/Getty Images

"I would take him all day," Ferdinand told Goal last month. "English, young, hungry and talented, that's all I need to know."

Sancho – who is one of United's leading targets this summer – later appeared to endorse that sentiment by 'liking' a Tweet that included Ferdinand's quote.

Executive vice chairman Woodward wants to appoint a technical director who is the right cultural fit.

That suggests an internal appointment or a candidate with strong links to United, such as a former player or coach.

Ferdinand fits the bill and is believed to be under consideration.

He also has the profile to demand the attention of leading agents and players when it comes to approaching targets, who may begin to look at Old Trafford as a graveyard for talent.

Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Memphis Depay and Bastian Schweinsteiger represent high profile failures.

Pogba's reputation has been seriously damaged since his £89m move - his achievements with France largely responsible for keeping his stock as high as it is.

Romelu Lukaku is making clear noises about moving on, while Anthony Martial is still to realise his potential after working under three different managers in four years.

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Ferdinand's cache would do United no harm when it comes to convincing talent that United is still the place to be.

Crucially, he knows what it takes to be a United player.

That in-depth understanding of the club is what Woodward appears determined to bring in after the club's expensively managed decline since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure.

Solskjaer and Mike Phelan re-introduced United's core values to the dressing room – but they are playing with someone else's hand in terms of the squad they inherited.

Fletcher also in United's thinking.
John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

Solskjaer's failure to disagree with Roy Keane's recent scathing criticism of the 'bluffers' within the playing staff was notable.

How many players have the attitude to return United to the summit of English football?

That points to the recruitment failures over a six-year period.

Darren Fletcher – another with United's DNA – is being considered for a role in the recruitment set-up, while Phelan remains in contention to be technical director as Woodward aims to put an end to the years of squandering money in the transfer market.

And for a man so fond of a marquee signing, Ferdinand might just be the perfect appointment.

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