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Ferguson confirms Ferdinand's new contract at United

16/04/2008

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that defender Rio Ferdinand has agreed a contract extension with Manchester United.

It was revealed by the England player's agent Pini Zahavi yesterday that he had agreed terms on a new five-year deal.

And Ferguson has confirmed the news, saying: "He is on the point of signing a new contract and we are happy with that.

"We always try to get players on longer contracts so we are not chasing things. Rio has been fantastic this season."

Recent speculation has suggested Ferdinand may have been keen to leave Old Trafford to end his career on the continent, with AC Milan and Barcelona among the leading suitors for his signature, and Ferdinand had been thought to be stalling over signing a new contract.

However, the latest comments from Zahavi and Ferguson suggest an agreement has been reached between the player's representatives and the club.

All that is left is for the 29-year-old to sign the deal and for it to be announced officially by the club.

While it is rumoured to be a long-term deal of around five years, Zahavi claims it may not be the last of Ferdinand's career - which he plans to finish with his current club.

"This new deal will take him beyond 34, but it won't be his last contract and in all probability it won't be his last contract at Manchester United," Zahavi told the Daily Express newspaper.

"Rio is very, very happy there, he wanted to stay and they wanted him to stay.

"Of course he could have gone to another big club but he did not want to."

Ferdinand's partnership with Nemanja Vidic at the centre of United's defence has helped the current Premier League leaders to become the most robust team in the division, conceding just 18 goals in 34 games so far.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men are currently five points clear of second-placed Chelsea with four matches remaining in pursuit of their second successive domestic title.