England too rough for Pique, claims Rio

RIO FERDINAND is convinced fellow centre-half Gerard Pique would not have taken such giant strides in his career if he had remained with Manchester United.

Pique signed for United as a teenager in 2004 and went on to make 23 appearances in a four-year spell that was punctuated by a year on loan with Real Zaragoza.

Barcelona stepped in to take Pique back to his homeland in 2008 and within a year the cut-price £5million star had beaten United in the Champions League final. Twelve months later, he was in the Spain side which overcame Holland in the World Cup final.