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Rio Ferdinand has criticised Manchester United's decision to allow Danny Welbeck to leave, branding it 'mad'.
Welbeck left United for top-four rivals Arsenal on deadline day in a £16million deal after Louis van Gaal told the England man he could leave.
Arsene Wenger moved to snap up the 23-year-old to plug his deficiencies in the final third, but former United man Ferdinand was baffled by the sale to a league rival.
Welbeck, who graduated through the youth academy at Old Trafford, has been at the club since the age of eight and scored 20 Premier League goals in 54 league starts.
"I cannot believe United let Danny go, especially to Arsenal," Ferdinand told The Sun. "That seems mad to me.
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"He's a real threat to defenders and, if Arsenal use him right, he will be very dangerous for them.
"Danny has everything to be a top player. English football has yet to see what he can really do because he hasn't been getting a run of games.
"I think he felt frustrated at United because, even if he did well, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney would be ahead of him."
