Ferdinand to Make Decision on United Future in January

Rio Ferdinand has told Manchester United that he will reassess his future over the course of the season as he looks to continue his playing career.

The former Leeds United centre-back will be out of contract in the summer, but is expected to sign a new deal that will see him remain at Old Trafford, at least for one more season.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson prefers to hand players over the age of 30 a one-year contract when it comes to renewing their deals and it is assumed that this will be offered to Ferdinand.

Ferguson has praised the performances of the 34-year-old and Ferdinand has admitted that he plans to discuss his future in January, before once again reassessing his stance in the summer.

"It's always good to hear the manager say things like that but you have to take every week and month as it comes," Ferdinand told Inside United magazine.

"The best thing I can do is to look at it at Christmas, and then again in the summer to see how I'm feeling and go from there. But hearing the manager say things like that definitely puts the spring back in your step.

"I'll have a better idea of that in December or January time when the games start coming thick and fast. That is when it really hits you and you know the hard work really has to start.

"I'll probably get a better gauge of where I'm at fitness-wise and the benefit of having the summer off then."

Ferdinand has fallen out of favour with England manager Roy Hodgson, but is still a crucial member of the Manchester United first team and has started nine Premier League games so far this season.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce admitted that he would love to bring Ferdinand back to Upton Park, however, it seems likely that Ferdinand will look to remain at United as long as he is in the first-team plans of Ferguson.