Schneiderlin a good signing for Man United - Ferdinand

The former Red Devils defender believes that the Southampton star would be a useful addition but is not convinced Real Madrid will sell Sergio Ramos to the club

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes the club are making a smart move in their attempt to sign Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton.

United are closing in on a deal for the France international, with Arsenal having cooled their interest in the 25-year-old defensive midfielder to leave the path clear for Louis van Gaal's side.

And when discussing the transfer, Ferdinand told his No.5 website: "He's a player who's going to add something to Manchester United.

"A bit of steel, can pass the ball, can play the ball through the lines of midfield and get the ball from back to front.

"He's a good player and a good addition to the squad, especially if someone like Michael Carrick, who's so influential for Man United, gets injured. This guy can step in and help buffer that. He's a very good player."

Ferdinand also addressed rumours linking Sergio Ramos with a move to Old Trafford, stating that he feels he will remain at Real Madrid.

"Sergio Ramos to Manchester City? He was going to Man United the other day, now he's going to Man City...! The agent's flying, he's doing well. He's putting him with two of the biggest clubs in terms of financial power," he said.

"I still can't see it. I think he'll stay at Madrid, where he'll play alongside Raphael Varane or Pepe next season. Unless they've got another Varane coming through, I can't see them letting him go.

"It's a lot of money to spend on a guy who's 29 with no resale value but why's he going to go to Manchester City before United? It doesn't make sense to me, I don't understand it."