Premier League

Rio Ferdinand compares Manchester United new signing to Cristoano Ronaldo

Published

7 months ago

January 12, 2021

Sportelo

Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand believes there are similarities between Amad Diallo and club legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester United completed the signing of Diallo from Atalanta in the January transfer window, with the 18-year-old winger penning a four-and-half-year contract to be tied to the Premier League giants until June 2025.

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Diablo has made only five first-team appearances and scored once for Serie A outfit Atalanta.

The 18-year-old is rated and as one of Europe’s most exciting talents.

Ferdinand likened Diallo to five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, who was lured to United from Portuguese powerhouse Sporting CP as a baby-faced 18-year-old in 2003 before going on to take the world by storm.

“We’ve just bought a kid in from Atalanta and hopefully, he does something,” Ferdinand said on Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE podcast after United reportedly spent £37million on Diallo.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting CP as a baby-faced 18-year-old in 2003. (Photo by John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

“If you see his clips and speak to people at the club who are involved in buying him, potentially this kid could be a world-beater.

“That is the thought of Manchester United people that this kid is one they have unearthed.

“I don’t want to put the pressure of Ronaldo on him, but no-one knew about Ronaldo when we bought him other than the people in Portugal.

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“This kid seems similar in that sense and if you see his clips and the way people talk about him, the world is his oyster if he applies himself right.”