WITH HIS contract due to expire with Manchester United at the end of this season and no plans for a new deal in sight, Rio Ferdinand is widely expected to retire from the game by the current campaign’s close. The 35-year-old defender, who has been one of Old Trafford’s most decorated players and was the world’s highest priced centre-back when United bought him from Leeds in 2002 for £29.1m, has rarely featured under David Moyes this season as the Premier League champions have struggled to replicate any kind of form they enjoyed under previous boss Alex Ferguson. According to media reports, Ferdinand, who started out at West Ham, is planning to call it quits after the latest snub from Moyes, who decided to leave him at home as the United squad is due to fly out to Dubai for a training camp on Thursday (Feb 13). The Sun claims the defender will announce his retirement within days, but United may convince him to delay the decision until the summer. Ferdinand is likely to pursue a career in TV punditry, with the likes of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher proving how to make the successful transition from pitch to media studio. Fellow centre-half Nemanja Vidic has already announced he will leave United in the summer and said he will move abroad, and Ferdinand’s impeding retirement will create a gaping hole in the Old Trafford club’s defence, which Moyes will have to remedy if his side is to have a chance of winning another league title. Last season, Ferdinand surprised many when he retired from the national team – a decision he made despite England boss Roy Hodgson being likely to select him to lead the team for its World Cup qualification campaign. To date, Ferdinand has made 445 appearances for the Red Devils, he won the Champions League in 2008, and has helped the side claim six Premier League championships, along with two League Cups.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 13:26:10 +0000
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