Rio Hails Adnan Influence

Rio Ferdinand says Adnan Januzaj has been the shining light of the season so far.

ManUtd.com confirmed on Saturday morning that the 18-year-old had signed a new five-year deal with the club. And in an exclusive interview with United Review, Ferdinand discussed how impressed he's been by the youngster's form this term, particularly in the Reds' last game against Sunderland when Januzaj fired United to victory.

"There have been positives about this season with the best one of those being the emerging talent of Adnan," declared the defender. "We saw how well he did in pre-season and he’s taken that into the season and when he’s had his opportunities for the first team he’s done really, really well. Even if he hadn’t have scored [at Sunderland] it would have gone down as a very good performance.

"The manager and the lads at the club won’t let him get carried away with anything and will make sure he keeps his feet on the ground. He’s a really good lad and he wants to be a top player, that’s the most important thing. But he knows he has to work hard to achieve his dreams.

"The best advice I can give him is just to work hard and not let anything get in the way of becoming a top player. He’s got natural ability which is something a lot of kids have and rely on to get them where they want to go. But you can’t just rely on that – you have to work hard and make the right decisions, especially in the early part of your career and make training the be all and end all of your life."