Manchester United's best centre-backs in the Premier League era

#2 Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand

It was almost impossible to choose between Rio and Vidic but Ferdinand clinches the #2 spot simply because he made more than 100 appearances more than Vidic and was at United longer.

Ferdinand was considered an atypical defensive product of English football due to his more elegant, "continental" style of defensive play; in particular, he was singled out for his unique technical ability and confidence on the ball, as well as his distribution and ability to play the ball on the ground. He is regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, and as one of England's best ever centrebacks. In his prime, he was also praised for his pace and tackling, in addition to his positioning and ability to read the game. He was also a strong defender who was reliable in the air with strong leadership qualities.

Ferdinand was signed from arch rivals Leeds United in 2002 for £30 million. Although at the time it was the highest fee paid for a British player and the highest fee paid for a defender, it proved to be an absolute bargain. In his twelve seasons with United, Rio made 455 appearances and won the Premier League six times, the Community Shield four times, the League Cup twice, the 2008 Champions League and the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. He scored the final goal of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign at United, a winner in the 2-1 win against Swansea City.

He left the club in 2014 for Queens Park Rangers and retired in 2015. He has been a noted football pundit. He announced his intention to become a professional boxer, partly to help him cope with the death of his wife. He has been linked with a return to Manchester United as a Technical Director.