Rio Ferdinand believes that one of Chelsea’s summer signings could prove to be the best ‘value’ transfer of the entire window.
It was another busy window in west London as Chelsea looked to build on last season’s top-four finish and Club World Cup triumph.
The Blues brought in 11 new signings throughout the course of the summer window, with Facundo Buonanotte the last to arrive on deadline day on a season-long loan from Brighton.
Chelsea have clearly been keen to equip Enzo Maresca with more attacking firepower, wrapping up deals for Estevao, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens in the early part of the window.
Alejandro Garnacho also arrived at Stamford Bridge after the Argentine completed his long-awaited move from Manchester United for £40million.
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Pedro, in particular, has hit the ground running so far this season, notching up two goals and two assists in his first three league games for the Blues.
And Ferdinand believes that the Brazilian, signed from Brighton for £60m, could prove exceptional value for Chelsea as the season goes on.
‘Joao Pedro at Chelsea, I think he’s going to prove the best value out of all of the transfers,’ Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel.
‘I think he is a great mix and a great addition to the Chelsea squad.
‘He can play centre forward, he can play as a No10. I can even see him dropping down and playing as a No8. He’s a really good addition.’
‘Previous ownership left INEOS hamstrung’
Reflecting on his former side’s business through the summer, Ferdinand insisted it was a step in the right direction for Manchester United but that previous bad decisions were still holding them back in the market.
‘Obviously, Man United could do more but I think INEOS are working from a hamstrung position,’ he said.
‘The recuitment that has been done in the past has really hampered has really hampered how they have been able to attack the market but I think INEOS have done a good job this window.
‘Yes, you could sit here and say could United have gone a got a midfielder which is a position they need to strengthen in.
‘I think in the previous regime, United would have gone out and blown 80, 90 100 million on that player and paid over the odds and double the wages they would have got anywhere else.
‘But that’s why we are hampered with transfers now. We have players sitting here saying: ‘I’m not going anywhere’.
‘And why should they leave United if they are on two or three hundred thousand pound a week but only getting offered one hundred grand a week somewhere else? Nobody in their right mind would do that.’
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