Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand shoots at Marcel Sabitzer’s critic: “It stinks!”

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has praised his former club for signing Marcel Sabitzer while blasting the deal’s critics.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with the signing,” said the 44-year-old on his YouTube channel. “If I were looking for a short-term replacement for Eriksen in a hurry, Sabitzer would be the player I would pick.”

Sabitzer switched from FC Bayern Munich to Manchester United on Deadline Day, where he signed a loan contract until the summer. Ex-PL player Paul Merson then criticized the commitment as a “panic buy” by the Red Devils. Sabitzer is just a “fourth-rate player,” Merson said.

Ferdinand did not want to leave this criticism uncommented. “To me it stinks of someone who hasn’t seen him play. This guy knows how to play football,” shot the former United defender at Merson. Sabitzer is a “really good signing for Manchester United. He is an experienced player who has played in big games, in the Champions League.”

At Bayern, Sabitzer had not progressed beyond the status of a supplementary player in the past first half of the season. Although the Austrian made 24 appearances for the German record champions, he was only on the pitch in eleven games.