12 October 2023 , 05:30
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Rio Ferdinand has named Ruud van Nistelrooy as the best finisher he played with during his time at Manchester United.
Ferdinand, 44, hung up his boots back in 2015 but spent 12 years at Old Trafford after joining the Red Devils from bitter rivals Leeds for £30million. The defender won six Premier League titles and the Champions League before moving on in 2014 and played alongside a whole host of blockbuster names at United.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Wayne Rooney were all part of the United teams that dominated domestically during Ferdinand's career. But it was Van Nistelrooy who got nod when Ferdinand was put on the spot with a question about United's deadliest goalscorers.
During an interview with Manutd.com, Ferdinand was asked to name the best finisher he played with - and he responded without hesitation. “Ruud for me,” he said. “I think all the other strikers (he’s played with) would agree with that, as well.
“Ole is up there, he was a thinking finisher. His finishes were always calm and he was great at instinctive things but I have to go with Ruud. He was clinical and the most ruthless finisher I’ve played with.”
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Van Nistelrooy plundered a remarkable 150 goals in just 219 appearance for Manchester United across a five year period. He left the club to join Real Madrid in 2006.
Join the debate! Who is the best finisher you've seen at the club, Man Utd fans? Let us know here.
Rio Ferdinand named Ruud van Nistelrooy as the best out-and-out finisher he played with at Manchester United (Getty Images)The Dutchman's tally puts him just outside the top 10 in the list of United's greatest ever goalscorers. He has five more goals to his name than Ronaldo, who returned for a second spell at the club back in the summer of 2021.
Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, two members of the Class of 92 who Ferdinand played with during his stint at Old Trafford, feature in the list: Scholes is 10th with 155 goals while Giggs is joint-seventh with 167 strikes.
Ferdinand played with plenty of lethal finishers, including United icon Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United via Getty Images)Rooney tops the chart after surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton shortly before leaving United back in 2017. The former England star notched 253 goals in 559 matches after joining United from his boyhood club, Everton, back in 2004.
The 37-year-old has since moved into coaching and had been in charge of MLS outfit DC United until the weekend. He will now return to England after being confirmed as the new manager of Birmingham City on Wednesday afternoon.