Paul Parker advises Crystal Palace star to avoid Manchester United temptations

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 01: Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Crystal Palace FC at Stamford Bridge on September 01, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Paul Parker has urged Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze to resist any temptations to join Manchester United after recent reports suggested he will be a transfer target for the Reds next summer.

The former Manchester United right-back never hides away from sharing his opinions and this one may come as a surprise.

Of course, Parker knows how much of an honour it is to play for United. Why would be advise a player against making such a move?

Parker states that Eze is a more disciplined number 10 than Bruno Fernandes, tellingbettingexpert.com: “His game is a little bit more disciplined than Bruno’s. There’s more structure in a Palace team for Eze to play in than there would be in a Manchester United team. He knows he can give the ball to people, and they’ll give it back to him because they know he’s a special player and respect his ability.

“If Eze were to come into United, it would take some time for him to adapt because he couldn’t play his natural game—and that’s why you sign players. You want them to play their natural game. You wouldn’t get the best from him right away.

“He came into his own once Zaha went, and it was him and Olise. He’s a good player, no doubt about that, but you wouldn’t get the best from him in this United team because it’s a selfish Manchester United team. It would be hard for him to say no, but I think playing a lead role at Palace would do him more good than leaving Palace last summer. I’m sure he may be a bit disappointed he didn’t get a move, but he can be a leader there for now. Eze will move on from Palace, but he has to pick his club correctly.”

Parker highlighted the failures of players such as Alexis Sanchez and Angel Di Maria as examples of the difficulties Eze could face by moving to Old Trafford.

He added: “I think Sanchez is dramatising things. It just didn’t work out for him. When he was at Arsenal at that time, they played a different style of football to United. He was very quick with and without the ball, and Arsenal played very intricately. Whereas United didn’t. There was an expectation when he joined United for him to be going past people, but that wasn’t his strength, to be perfectly honest.

“He suddenly realised going from Arsenal to Manchester United isn’t the same thing. Manchester United are bigger on and off the pitch, and the expectations are higher. You’re looked at differently and judged more harshly than at Arsenal. It boils down to the fact he wasn’t up to the task at that given time.

“Di Maria is the one that surprised me because of his history before he arrived at Manchester United. Those players arrived at United under the wrong stewardship. The club had lost everything when Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill left. When big-name signings come in, there’s enough history that should be shown and told to those players. That’s something Ferguson and Gill would have done. This would have integrated those players.

“Sanchez and Di Maria mentally couldn’t deal with it. They struggled and worked under the wrong conditions at the wrong time. If Sir Alex had been in charge, I don’t think Di Maria and Sanchez would have been walking away saying what they said.”

I would hope that Eze, if he is to join United in the future, believes in himself to reach the very top.

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