In a bold statement, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has compared the club’s recent signing to one of the Premier League’s top defenders. Ferdinand claimed that the defender Manchester United acquired for £10.75 million was even better than Virgil van Dijk.

Ferdinand is undeniably a Manchester United legend, but before his arrival, there was another defender who ranked among the best in the world.

Rio Ferdinand makes a bold Jaap Stam vs. Virgil van Dijk comparison
Manchester United acquired Jaap Stam from PSV Eindhoven for £10.75 million in 1998 (BBC).

The Dutchman quickly became a cornerstone of the Red Devils’ defense. He secured the Premier League and Champions League titles in his debut season and went on to win two more league titles over the next two years.

The outstanding defender played 127 matches for Manchester United across all competitions, with 79 appearances in the Premier League.

Stam achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Premier League title in each of his three seasons at Old Trafford.

He remains one of the best center-backs to have played for the club, and Rio Ferdinand continues to be a huge admirer of him.

In a video on Mail Sport, Rio Ferdinand was asked to choose between Jaap Stam and several other top-tier defenders who played in the Premier League.

Ferdinand firmly stated that Stam was superior to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, Chelsea legend John Terry, Tottenham’s Ledley King, and Arsenal stars from both past and present, including Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure, and William Saliba.

When specifically asked to compare Stam and Van Dijk, Ferdinand responded: “Jaap Stam!”

### What Sir Alex Ferguson Really Regrets About Jaap Stam

In 2001, Jaap Stam had signed a five-year contract with Manchester United. Expectations were high for the Dutchman to remain at Old Trafford for many years, but a surprising event that summer changed everything.

Sir Alex Ferguson decided to accept an offer from Lazio for Stam to raise funds for other transfers, leading to the legendary defender’s departure.

Years later, in 2013, Ferguson admitted he had made a mistake by selling Stam, describing it as one of his major ‘disappointments.’ He stated, as quoted by United in Focus: “When I think of disappointments, obviously Jaap Stam was always a disappointment to me, I made a bad decision there.”