Rio Ferdinand names seven key players with massive characters in the Manchester United squad

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand recently named seven leaders in the Red Devils' dressing room. Ferdinand paid a visit to the team's training ground, Carrington, and was thoroughly impressed with the culture shift at the club.

The former England defender claimed that the 20-time league champions have been desperately craving players with character for a while now, and they finally have seven such leaders in their squad.

The six-time Premier League winner believes David de Gea, Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are all players with characters in the defensive department. He said on his YouTube channel Vibe With Five:

"At United, what we've been crying out for over the years is character, leaders. Not a leader or a character, you want a number of them. You look through the team now, David de Gea, character, Luke Shaw has come back from the dead with other managers and now he’s a mainstay. The two centre-halves, Martinez and Varane, are leaders."

Ferdinand added that Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are both influential figures in the middle of the park for the Red Devils.

The 44-year-old also hailed Marcus Rashford as a leader and the catalyst for everything positive at the club right now. He added:

"Casemiro, I don't have to say anything about him. Bruno is leading and got the armband, Rashford’s leading by example with the confidence and the goals. The spine of the team has characters and because they're starting to win and built confidence and form, you're starting to see the best of it and that's all backed and pushed by management."

Erik ten Hag has done a phenomenal job since taking over at Old Trafford last summer and has completely turned around the club's fortunes.

Manchester United are third in the Premier League table with 49 points in 24 games, and have entered the title race alongside Arsenal and Manchester City.

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Michael Owen sets target for Marcus Rashford at Manchester United amid sparkling run of form

Manchester United v Leicester City - Premier League

Liverpool legend Michael Owen has set a target of 30 goals for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford in the ongoing season.

Speaking to Premier League Productions, Owen backed Rashford to reach the 30-goal milestone for the Red Devils this season. He said:

"He should be targeting 30 goals this campaign. Six more goals in the form he's in should be realistic. We're only just past halfway, there's still a lot of big games, and Manchester United are still in virtually every competition as well."

He added:

"It's scary numbers that we're potentially looking at and we're also looking at a player that we're talking about at world-class level in years to come if he keeps this going."

Rashford has been in red-hot form this campaign, having already scored 24 goals and provided nine assists in 36 appearances across competitions.