Rio Ferdinand says summer signing Bryan Mbeumo has been a ‘joke’ for Manchester United this season.
The 26-year-old Cameroon international has shined for the Red Devils since he joined United from Brentford for £71m in July.
Mbeumo has registered six goals and an assist in his opening 12 games for Ruben Amorim’s side across all competitions.
Five of those goals have come in the Premier League, with United unbeaten across their last five top-flight matches.
Former United defender Ferdinand was asked to name the club’s most important player right now on his YouTube podcast – with Mbeumo one of three stars he mentioned.
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‘Mbeumo has been a joke,’ Ferdinand said. ‘He’s really stepped in there and become a mainstay.
‘He’s someone who can give you two or three seconds on the ball to relieve pressure. He can score important goals and create chances.
‘I saw Thomas Frank’s comments about him the other day and Mbeumo nearly being a complete winger.
‘I think by the end of this season, he’ll be one of the most complete wingers in the Premier League because he can do everything. He just needs to consistently do it in a United shirt.’
Ferdinand also singled out centre-back Matthijs de Ligt and goalkeeper Senne Lammens as United’s other two most important players.
‘I don’t think it’s one man,’ Ferdinand added. ‘It can’t be down to one man. I think Matthijs de Ligt has been our best defender this season, he’s been outstanding for us.
‘He’s even adding goals – with the last-minute one the other day [against Tottenham].
‘His pressing, his assertiveness and his willingness to go into foreign areas up the pitch to defend at the right times has been good. Clearing out of the box, he has been brilliant.
‘[And] the goalkeeper. You can’t talk about anyone being our most important player without mentioning the goalkeeper.
‘It’s no coincidence we’ve had an upturn in form. We’ve got a goalkeeper that it seems all the players trust.’
Gay Neville is convinced United can push for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season after their five-game unbeaten run.
‘They should be thinking around [the] top four, they really should, because there’s no one grabbing it at this moment,’ Neville told Sky Sports.
United, seventh in the Premier League table, are back in action on November 24 against Everton after the international break.