Rio Ferdinand hammers Manchester United’s decision to let FIVE players leave Old Trafford

Rio Ferdinand has slammed Manchester United for losing their ‘lifeblood’ after previously allowing five players to leave the club after Sir Alex Ferguson‘s retirement.

United were last crowned Premier League champions in Ferguson’s final season 10 years ago, with Ferdinand playing a crucial part in the title-winning team.

The Premier League hall of famer subsequently departed Old Trafford after David Moyes‘ failed first season in charge and was later followed out the door by Jonny Evans, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez and Brazilian duo Rafael and Fabio Da Silva.

Ferdinand believes that it was a mistake to let members of United’s academy go under Moyes and his successor Louis van Gaal.

‘They were the lifeblood of Manchester United, they all came through the system, all Man United boys, and that was lost as well,’ Ferdinand told his YouTube channel Vibe With Five.

Javier Hernandez was moved on to Bayer Leverkusen after Man United sold him

Fabio (right) and Rafael da Silva (left) were moved on by United in the years that followed Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement

‘That was a part of what the club had been built on before, people who would come through the academy were integral to everything Man United stood for.

‘And they were getting rid of those players willy-nilly, I couldn’t believe the club even allowed it.

‘What they did at Man United they could’ve done that for the rest of their career.’ 

Welbeck was sold to Arsenal for £16million in 2014 after making 142 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils, scoring 29 goals in the process.

He went on to bag 32 strikes in 126 appearances for the Gunners before moving on to Watford and is now plying his trade at Roberto de Zerbi’s Brighton.

Meanwhile, Hernandez spent a season on loan at Real Madrid before moving on to Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen in a £12m deal, despite United’s lack of first-team strikers at the time.

The Da Silva brothers were also shipped out with Rafael joining Lyon and Fabio moving on to Cardiff City.

Danny Welbeck (left) was moved on to join Arsenal while Jonny Evans (right) is now at Leicester

Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United made an error in letting five players leave the club

Evans was perhaps the most high-profile name to leave United during an unsettling period for the club as he joined West Brom on a permanent deal before moving on to Leicester.

Ferdinand explained his amazement at the club’s decision to let Evans go and added that the Northern Irishman should have kept his place ahead of Chris Smalling.

‘He [Evans] should never have been allowed to leave the club. He was the best centre-half at the club when we all left. 

‘Smalling’s had a great career, don’t get me wrong, but Jonny Evans is a better player, 100 per cent,’ he added.