Manchester United legend turned pundit Rio Ferdinand has admitted he was wrong about Tottenham defender Pedro Porro.
Having been initially very critical of the defender, he has now changed his mind and admired the quality and confidence of the Spaniard’s play.
Spurs signed Porro on deadline day of the January transfer window last year, securing him on an initial loan from Sporting for a fee of £5 million. The deal included an obligation to buy for £40 million in the upcoming summer.
The 24-year-old did not have the perfect start to his career at Tottenham, debuting in a 4–1 loss to Leicester City.
He came under harsh criticism for his shaky start at Spurs from several pundits, including Tim Sherwood, who remarked that he (Porro) was ‘so bad it’s unbelievable.’
However, Porro responded to the criticism on the pitch and pretty quickly went on to become one of the best players at the club, establishing himself as the number 1 at the right-back position.
And under the management of Ange Postecoglou, Porro not only maintained his form from the previous season, but also significantly improved defensively.
This season, he has emerged as one of the top performers for Spurs, amassing eight assists in 20 Premier League appearances—a remarkable feat for a defender.
With his brilliant performances, he has forced his critics to change their mind about him. Recently, Tim Sherwood came out and publicly admitted that he was wrong about Porro. And now Rio Ferdinand has become the latest to review his stance on the player.
Sharing his thoughts on his YouTube show Vibe with Five, he said:
“Udogie and Porro, the way the manager has improved these two. Porro, I was canning him last year. How have they paid that money for him? He was horrendous last year.
“A new manager comes in, sets him up and he is a new player. It’s unreal. Almost like a bargain. They are probably the two in-form fullbacks, as a pair, in the Premier League right now. Porro is dribbling out all sorts under pressure.”
