With Rio Ferdinand’s future extremely uncertain after the final game of Manchester United’s season this summer, the legendary England and United defender is pretty relaxed about things.
Many players Ferdinand’s age, 35, have already thought heavily about the next step by this point but Rio only has one thought on his mind: keep playing.
Ferdinand’s contract expires at the end of this season at United and the stalwart, who joined the club in 2002 for $50 million which was then a world record fee for a defender, wants to carry on playing for as long as possible. Bravo.
In the past Ferdinand has been linked with countless Major League Soccer franchises as the class and skill of the former West Ham and Leeds United defender is undoubted. Can the ball-playing center back keep himself healthy enough to contribute wherever he ends up?
Recent history would suggest he has still got some gas left in the tank after playing 56 games over the past two seasons for United.
While you try and figure out if any MLS squads would be daft or clever to pick Ferdinand up this summer, our friends at Soccerly take a look at his latest comments.
Ferdinand’s current contract with United expires at the end of the campaign and there has been no suggestion as yet that he will be offered a new deal after spending much of the season out of favor with boss David Moyes, who was sacked last month. The 35-year-old did not make the match-day squad for United’s final home game against Hull under interim manager Ryan Giggs, who is set to be replaced by Holland coach Louis van Gaal after the World Cup.
But Ferdinand, who joined United from Leeds in July 2002 for £30 million ($50 million, 36 million euros), feels he still has plenty to offer, regardless of whether his future lies at Old Trafford. “I am fit, I am healthy and I want to continue playing,” said Ferdinand, who will be part of BBC’s World Cup coverage team in Brazil.
“I have spoken to a lot of mates of mine in the game and they all say the same thing — keep playing for as long as you can. The club at the moment is in a position where they can’t really make any decisions about anything. For me to be saying I want to do this or that is irrelevant, because we have got to see who becomes the new manager and boxes will be ticked from there. I just want the best solution for the club. Whatever it is, then I will respect it. After that I am open to offers. But I would rather wait and see what happens at United and then there will be a decision to be made.”
