Rio Ferdinand has praised France and Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, saying that he is the closest thing to Brazil legend Ronaldo. Ferdinand was speaking ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League last-16 first-leg clash at Manchester United. Mbappe started the match in a central striker role due to the absence of Edinson Cavani and Neymar through injury.
Ahead of the game the 20-year-old had scored 22 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions this season. But it is not just his goalscoring ability that impresses Ferdinand about the France World Cup winner. The BT Sport pundit says Mbappe’s first touch is one thing that sets him apart from others. And he paid him the ultimate compliment by comparing him to the great Ronaldo.
“This is what you come to watch,” Ferdinand said of the PSG star. “We’re sitting in here saying ‘oh my god, I can’t wait to see this boy’. I think he is the nearest thing I’ve seen to Ronaldo, the Brazilian one. If you watch these clips here, every single clip his first touch is what sets him apart. Forget about his pace, his skills, his goals, but his first touch.
“Look at this, takes the defender out of the game. This is what sets up all of these opportunities, his first touch. And for a kid so young to have this already… You can’t see pressure when it’s him, he doesn’t feel pressure. He won the World Cup at 19 years old. He doesn’t know about pressure, he goes out there like he’s playing football in his backyard. He’s ridiculous.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have been handed a major transfer boost after Italian Serie A giants Juventus revealed that there would no transfer for influential midfielder Paul Pogba. The Italians have repeatedly been linked with a summer move for the Frenchman but that’s unlikely partly due to the admission from the Juve sporting director.
Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici told Italian media portal La Gazzette dello Sport that the club won’t be making a summer move for Paul Pogba before adding that it would be difficult to prise the French World Cup winner away from Manchester United. Paul Pogba has found a new lease of life under interim Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer since the Norwegian tactician replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho.
Pogba has scored eight goals in addition to five assists in his nine games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This is in stark contrast to his form under Jose Mourinho who dropped him on several occasions in the last weeks of his managerial reign at Old Trafford. Pogba and Mourinho had a frosty relationship before the exit of the Portuguese manager.
Paul Pogba joined Manchester United from Juventus in a world-record deal worth £89m in the summer of 2016 four years after he left for the Old Lady on a free transfer.