Rio Ferdinand wants to continue playing, would like to stay at United

Without a game over the weekend, things have been pretty quiet on the United front. But Rio Ferdinand's been keeping busy, and the 35-year-old part-time fashion designer, part-time record label mogul, part-time central defender decided, at the invitation of BT Sport, to try a spot of punditry.

His views on the FA Cup semi-final need not detain us here (and with eight goals, there wasn't much in the way of defending going on). But when the conversation got around to the subject of his future, Ferdinand was pretty clear:

Hopefully still playing - I want to continue playing. I'm enjoying my football and my legs haven't given way yet. I want to continue - whether that be at Manchester United or somewhere else, depending what the club want to do. Time will tell, we'll have to wait until the end of the season. We'll do what we did last season - wait until the end of the season, get it sorted out and speak to see where we're at. ... I'm living the dream and I'd like to continue [at United]. But we'll have to wait and see.

It's been a frustrating season for Ferdinand. His declining body has seen him replaced on the pitch by Phil Jones, and there have been persistent rumours of training-ground clashes with David Moyes. Fanzine Red Issue reported that Ferdinand had taken particular exception to being told by his manager what Everton's Phil Jagielka would do, the defender's reply apparently running along the lines of: how does what Jagielka would do have anything to do with United?

A fair question. But perhaps these comments indicate that he is willing to continue working with Moyes, and happy as a squad player. If so, then another year's contract might not be the worst idea in the world: United have plenty enough shopping to do this summer, and Ferdinand's display against Bayern Munich certainly suggested that he hasn't completely forgotten how to defend.

Alternatively, if you want to be super conspiratorial, perhaps he thinks Moyes might not be an issue next season ...