Man Utd Legend Regrets Red Devils Missing Out on Midfield Starlet Who Signed for Man City

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has expressed his regret that the Red Devils missed out on young midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi in the summer, with the teenager already showing his immense quality for cross-town rivals Manchester City. The former centre-back believes the club could live to rue their decision to walk away from a deal for the talent, who joined City from Lille for around £85 million.

"Did you see what Ayyoub Bouaddi did when he came on? That is exactly what I've been talking about over the past year and during the summer transfer window. He came on and showed Paris Saint-Germain that they might have let a player slip away who was right under their noses while playing in France," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel. "Manchester United were certainly keen on him, but the asking price was too high. Just that brief cameo against PSG makes you think, 'I can't believe we missed out on him.' I'm honestly so gutted. He is an unbelievable player and looks so calm and composed under pressure," the former England international added.

United invested heavily in their midfield over the summer, bringing in Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans, and Andrey Santos for a combined fee of around £155 million. Bouaddi, however, chose Manchester City, where competition in the engine room is equally fierce. Ferdinand believes the depth in City's squad will allow the Citizens to manage the youngster's minutes carefully, but predicts he will soon be demanding regular starts. "He is an unbelievable player. He might even turn out to be the best of the three," Ferdinand said, referring to Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson, and Enzo Fernández.