Rio Ferdinand has ordered Manchester United to snap up Max Aarons from relegated Norwich City to help solve the club's defensive crisis.
The Red Devils ended a calamitous campaign with a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday as new manager Erik ten Hag watched on from the stands. Despite suffering a 12th Premier League defeat of the season, United still scraped a sixth-placed finish as West Ham failed to beat Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
Not only did United register the lowest Premier League points tally in the club's history, but this season also saw the 20-time English champions concede 57 league goals - more than relegated Burnley. Following Ten Hag's revelation that he is looking to "renew the squad" during a seismic summer of change at Old Trafford, ex-Red Devil Ferdinand has told his old club who to go out and buy.
The former defender insisted Norwich right-back Aarons would make an excellent addition to United's defence as the club seek to bolster their leaky backline. Speaking on his Vibe with FIVE YouTube show, Ferdinand said: "Someone like Max Aarons you could put him like a Chris Smalling-type signing where they come in and they have an impact.
"They may not be straight starters immediately but they go and they stay there for 10 years and have a really good career and they impact the club at different levels."
Aarons has been heavily linked with a number of top teams from around Europe in recent seasons, including the likes of United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. However, this summer could finally be the transfer window in which the 22-year-old moves on from the Canaries, with the club's relegation likely to mean he will be available for a cut-price fee.
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United have also been linked with young Ajax centre-back Jurrien Timber, a player Ten Hag knows well from their time together in Amsterdam. The Red Devils have reportedly pushed ahead to sign the 20-year-old, who scooped the club's Talent of the Year award, over recent weeks as Ten Hag looks to kick-start an impending squad overhaul.
Some have expressed concerns over whether Timber is physically ready for the demands of Premier League football, with question marks also raised over his height, however, Ferdinand dismissed such claims. He added: "I think the way Ten Hag’s playing, looking at it, it’s like, 'We’re going to be the team that’s the aggressor, we’re going to be the team that dictates and dominates the games'. So he’s looking to play on the half-way line.
"He isn’t looking to play in a deep block, so he’s not thinking about [Timber’s height]. One thing he’ll have to think about is the physical element in the Premier League is very different to what he’s seen in Holland.
"So defending crosses, you could be 5ft10, we saw Patrice Evra - he was 5ft3 probably - but he was one of the best headers of the ball when we were doing defensive set-pieces – and he was a threat in the opposing box as well. So it can be done but whether he’s that guy, time will tell."
With United expected to undergo a significant rebuild at the back, Ten Hag is understood to have placed a number of players up for sale, including the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Eric Bailly, Alex Telles and Phil Jones. Raphael Varane was signed in a £34m deal from Real Madrid last summer, however injuries have ravaged his first season at Old Trafford.
Harry Maguire has also endured a campaign to forget and has been heavily criticised for his consistently sub-par performances. It has emerged that the United captain was additionally left out of an important meeting involving Ralf Rangnick and his senior players back in February.
