Juventus star Paulo Dybala does not have "the minerals" to be a Manchester United player, according to Red Devils great Rio Ferdinand in a scathing assessment of the Argentina forward.

Dybala was linked with a move to Old Trafford as part of a potential swap with Romelu Lukaku towards the end of the Premier League's transfer window, but a deal never materialised, as the former Palermo talent reportedly opted to stay Italy.

Ferdinand – who played for United between 2002 and 2014 – believes manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is better off without Dybala and believes he does not have the required attitude to play for the Red Devils.

"A lot of players have declined coming to Manchester United in recent years," he told the Daily Star. "They've chosen somewhere else.

"But I don't know how Dybala had the audacity to turn them down when he's on the bench at Juventus. He needs to start playing some football.

"Maybe he's thinking: 'I want to be in the Champions League or I'll sit on the bench. I'd rather do that than play at Man Utd.'

"Well, I'm happy he didn't come because you haven't got the right minerals that I want in a Manchester United player.

"I want someone who wants to come and thinks, 'Manchester United need to get back to being a top team and I want to be the catalyst'. That's the type of person you want to come through the door."

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made just three signings during the close season, bringing in Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James.

All three played important roles in United's opening-day 4-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday and Ferdinand is confident Solskjaer is building a squad with a clear vision.

"Ole has gone with younger players," he added. "James and Wan-Bissaka are two young, young, young players with huge potential. They're projects.

"Wan-Bissaka a little bit less because he's played in the Premier League, but James is a nice project for the long-term because he has that youth, that pace that can excite people.

"If he can work on that on the training field, give him a few games, then hopefully he can keep on flourishing.

"Jose Mourinho didn't say, 'I'm going to go down that route'. We're talking young English [British] players. He bought [Nemanja] Matic, Fred, established players.

"I just hope Ole gets the time and the team shows some signs early on this season that they are going in the right direction.

"United fans are loyal fans and understanding fans. If they see an idea that is being nurtured in the right direction for the future of the club, they'll get behind it. It's important they see that early."