Manchester United and England legend Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he wanted to join Arsenal after leaving Manchester United in 2014 but was rejected by the then Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger. Rio Ferdinand was in search of a new club after his deal at Old Trafford expired, and he wanted to join Arsenal, but it never worked.
However, the former Three Lions defender was knocked back by Wenger, which he claims was the ‘right call’ after he went on to struggle at his next club, Queens Park Rangers. Ferdinand said after he left United. The defender spent 12 years at Old Trafford before he left.
He won six Premier League titles and one Champions League but revealed he was seriously considering a move to one of the club’s fiercest rivals. According to him, he said: “The maddest thing is I thought about [joining] Arsenal.”
“I said, “Arsene, listen, I am leaving Man United, and if you want, I will come and try and help the dressing room etc., because I think you need help in that department. I will obviously play, but, more importantly, I will come for the culture.”
“He didn’t take me up on the offer, and he was right because my performances at QPR weren’t up to the levels. “But in the changing room, I believe I could have helped him because that is where a lot of the culture derives from.” Rio also said Arsenal’s £50million summer signing Ben White would need a new partner in the defence.
Rio Ferdinand said: “Ben White is good now but what you need is someone to come in and grab the players in the training ground.” “I feel that at this stage of his career, Ben White needs a partner to bring him a lot, like a Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane or Thiago Silva.”