Rio Ferdinand has admitted that he has doubts over Manchester United captain Harry Maguire 's future at the club because of the defenders lack of pace.
Maguire has been the subject of intense scrutiny this season and was dropped to the bench for the Red Devils' dismal 0-0 draw with Watford on Saturday by interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
And while the England international has largely been a stalwart under Rangnick, Ferdinand reckons that the acclaimed German coach's style of play - and that of his likely successor's - is at odds with Maguire's profile.
The former Red Devils centre-back was quizzed on whether Victor Lindelof will again be preferred to Maguire ahead of United's derby showdown with Manchester City on Sunday following a campaign that has so far seen them concede 34 goals in 27 Premier League games.
Join the debate! Do you agree with Ferdinand about Maguire? Give us your verdict here.
"I think there can be improvements. I think Lindelof is a good player, a solid player. Is he gonna enable you to win the league? I don't know," Ferdinand began on his YouTube show, Vibe with Five.
"Is Maguire gonna enable you to win the league, that's the question as well. Because the thing about someone like Ralf and all the top teams now, when they play now, they play on the front foot and are aggressive and wanna win the ball high.
"So, therefore, you need defenders who can defend on the halfway line, one-v-one, two-v-two - or three against two if you need that security.
"If you can play two-v-two one-v-one or on the halfway line, that enables you to have more bodies in the opponent's half of the pitch, hence why teams do that to win the ball early and be closer to the opposition's goal to score goals.
" Liverpool do it tremendously well, City do it really, really well as well, Bayern [Munich] do it; three of the best teams on the planet. Everyone's going that way of playing football, Ralf Rangnick's style of football is like that.
"Can Maguire do that, can you do that with Maguire? That's my problem, that's my issue."
The 28-year-old is often ridiculed by rivals fans for his physique but makes up for a lack of athleticism with superb ball-playing ability and sound reading of the game - but Ferdinand is not convinced that those "good traits" will be enough to keep him at Old Trafford for much longer.
"His pace doesn't allow for that [style of play], he's always gonna be looking over his shoulder," the ex-United star added.
"If I'm a centre forward, if I'm one of the quick centre-forwards or quick wide players, quick attackers, I would be hanging around where Harry Maguire is.
"For all the good traits that he has in his game, that is a big weakness in his game and that is a fundamental of all of the top teams is to be able to play one-v-one on the halfway line.
"So, I think for Maguire, long-term - unless he can find that extra yard of pace - it's gonna maybe be difficult for him."
Maguire's contract with the Red Devils does not expire for another three years, having arrived from Leicester City in 2019 in an £80million transfer, making him the world's most expensive defender.
