Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images

News

HomeNewsArsenalEnglish Premier LeagueManchester United

Teddy Sheringham says ‘amazing’ player would not be playing for Arsenal if Sir Alex Ferguson was Man Utd manager

Charles Jones

Wed 23 April 2025 17:45, UK

Somehow, almost 15 years later, Manchester United are still going through their post-Alex Ferguson malaise.

Indeed, Manchester United haven’t been the same club since Alex Ferguson retired, and they’ve made misstep after misstep since Fergie’s departure in 2013, so much so that they’re not a bottom-half team.

Many point towards United’s recruitment as a big issue as of late, as United have signed many young players who have seriously flopped.

Rasmus Hojlund has been heavily criticised recently, while United themselves admit signing Joshua Zirkzee was a mistake.

Speaking on , Teddy Sheringham has been discussing what United need to do in the transfer window, and he says that the Red Devils need to go back to signing top British talents from their rivals, the same way they did with Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney all those years ago.

Interestingly, Sheringham stated that Declan Rice is exactly the sort of player Alex Ferguson would’ve signed at United, claiming that the Red Devils would’ve definitely been in for Rice if Fergie was still the manager.

• READ MORE: Ashley Cole says Arsenal have a young player they need to be ‘careful’ with

Alex Ferguson would’ve signed Declan Rice

Sheringham spoke about the type of signings United used to make and Declan Rice.

The pundit says that Alex Ferguson never would’ve allowed Arsenal to sign Rice in his heyday.

Interestingly, Rio Ferdinand recently made a claim about Rice and United too, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted Rice at United as well.

“They need to go out like Alex Ferguson did and buy top players, like Roy Keane did at Nottingham Forest, go and get him, he’s a top player, like Rio Ferdinand when he came through, go and get him, Wayne Rooney, go and get him,” Sheringham said.

“When Declan Rice was available the season before last, Man United were nowhere near getting him, and that never would’ve happened under Alex Ferguson, they have to go out and get the top players.”

Who could Manchester United go after?

Manchester United used to often be at the forefront of the transfer market when it came to signing England’s best players.

Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves and Andy Cole are but a few players who United signed in this mould.

United have tried to repeat that trick in recent years with the signings of Mason Mount and Jadon Sancho, but those haven’t worked out.

Sheringham suggests that the Red Devils need to go back to this transfer strategy, signing established homegrown players just as they are becoming world-class talents, and there are a few players in that mould coming through right now.

Unfortunately for United, due to their recent performances, it will be hard to convince many of these players to sign for the club.

Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers have no reason to leave Aston Villa for Manchester United in their current state, while Marc Guehi has a better option in the shape of Chelsea this summer.

United are a real mess at the moment, and while these sorts of signings can help fix that, convincing these players to join is now a real uphill battle.