Ferdinand and Keane praise for Man Utd target 'who is like Michael Carrick'

Rio Ferdinand agrees with Roy Keane as he praised Adam Wharton claiming he "is a bit like Michael Carrick" and would be a good fit at Manchester United.

"I would sign another central midfielder this summer to play alongside Manuel Ugarte. That player needs to be able to take the ball and transfer it up the pitch. You know who I would go for? Adam Wharton," he said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.

"I would go get him. The reason I would take him is that he can get on the ball and transfer it up the pitch. Wharton has got a great range of passing.

"I think he would be a great addition to the United squad. He reminds me of Michael Carrick a bit."

Wharton appears to be high on United's transfer target list, with the club considering making a move in 2026.

The 21-year-old has been absolutely sensational since rocking up at Selhurst Park last season and is now a fully-fledged England international, having got the nod in Sunday's 2-0 triumph over Albania.

His calmness, determination and football brain have rightfully earned him rave reviews, but it's his eagerness to thread forward passes that has particularly caught the eye of United legends Keane and Ferdinand.

"I do like Adam Wharton," Keane declared following England's weekend victory. "A lot of the modern midfielders, their first option seems to be, 'Can I go sideways or backwards?'."

"What I like about him, the first option he seems to look at it is, 'Can I pass it forward?' and that's a big strength to have. This is where he can mature over the next year or two if he's playing at the top level.

"Put demands onto people. Shout at players, go, 'Give me the ball!' That's what I used to do, I used to fall out with people a lot. 'Give me the ball!' Put demands on your team-mates.

"He's still new to it, so I'm not going to be too harsh on him. But as he matures and starts playing more games, put demands on your team-mates."

United are hoping to extend their unbeaten streak to six matches when they welcome Everton to Old Trafford.