Rio Ferdinand suggests Man United were right to fight for a player who ‘tore them up’ this season

Rio Ferdinand has never been shy about pushing his views on United’s transfer business, and his latest take involved one of their new faces.

Speaking to TalkSport, Ferdinand suggested Cunha’s big displays against the Red Devils likely left a lasting impression. However, he confessed that this is not enough to make him dislike the move.

“There’s still a level that Man United are having to buy at that’s different to what we’ve seen in years gone by, but I think he’s [Cunha] a very good signing,” he said.

“Sometimes there’s players that get bought based on how they play against you. He played against Man United at Old Trafford and absolutely tore United up and I think he left horror marks after that game.”

Cunha’s resumé stretches far beyond a single standout match

While Cunha’s performance at Old Trafford certainly grabbed attention, it was far from the only reason behind United’s move.

The forward has scored 15 Premier League goals in back-to-back seasons – impressive numbers considering the surrounding instability at Wolves.

He thrived inside a struggling side, one with managerial changes and little in the way of attacking structure. That level of consistency, plus his obvious fit in Ruben Amorim’s system, helped make the decision a straightforward one.

Jason Wilcox has also praised his mentality and overall fit, and United look to be targeting more complete players – not just those who flash for a match or two.

In this case, one big afternoon was only a small part of why the deal got done.