Rio Ferdinand backs Paul Pogba for Ballon d'Or

Rio Ferdinand has claimed that former Manchester United teammate Paul Pogba deserves his £70m price-tag and believes that he will win the Ballon d'Or during his career.

The French midfielder - reportedly a Manchester City target - has developed into one of the world's best players since joining Juventus after United lost him on a Bosman in 2012.

The 22-year-old is gearing up for tonight's Champions League final with Barcelona in Berlin, and Ferdinand says that it is only a matter of time before he is competing for the most prestigious individual prizes on offer.

"I'm not surprised Paul Pogba is being talked of as a £70m player — neither am I surprised that teams like Manchester City want to sign him," he wrote in The Sun.

"In fact I would confidently predict that, provided he stays injury-free, Pogba will be the world player of the year within the next four years. Yes, he is that good.

"As a former teammate of the Frenchman's at Manchester United, I saw first-hand what Pogba could do and what a top player he could become."

Pogba has won three successive Serie A titles, along with a Coppa Italia, since joining the Bianconeri.