Rio Ferdinand sends warning to £50m Man Utd signing after Chelsea transfer

Ferdinand doesn’t want business to end there (Picture: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

Rio Ferdinand

is not convinced

Andrey Santos

will be an immediate starter for

Manchester United

next season.

United have made rebuilding their midfield a top priority this summer abd have already missed out on two top targets in

Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes who have joined Manchester City and Tottenham respectively.

They have moved quickly to wrap up a deal for

Chelsea

midfielder Santos, however,

with a deal worth an initial £48million agreed on Thursday

. He is expected to become United’s second signing of the summer with a deal also agreed to sign Ederson from Atalanta for £35million.

With

Casemiro

leaving the club and

Manuel Ugarte facing a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury

, United are desperately short of options in the middle of the park.

Bellingham has stood tall for Thomas Tuchel (Picture: FIFA via Getty)

While Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount can play there, Kobbie Mainoo is the only senior central midfielder available to Michael Carrick until new signings are in the door.

Despite the lack of options, United legend Ferdinand is not convinced Santos will be an automatic starter when the club get their campaign up and running against newly-promoted Hull City on 22 August.

While the former defender believes Santos could prove to be a long-term partner in midfield for Mainoo, he suggests there is room for another signing in the middle of the park.

Santos set to join United (Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

‘Is he the guy who is going to replace Casemiro? I don’t think he is the guy who immediately jumps into those shoes and performs at that level right now,’ Ferdinand told

Rio Reacts

‘Could he grow, does he have the potential? Yes. Could he be the long-term partner for Kobbie Mainoo? Yes, he could.

Santos could be a long-term partner for Mainoo (Picture: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

‘But I’m looking to see who else they bring in in that area because I think he is one of maybe three to come into that area to share the load.

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Rio Ferdinand sends warning to £50m Man Utd signing after Chelsea transfer

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