I am ready to fight for my spot in the team: Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand

Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand knows he has to fight a tight battle against the young lads in the club for his place in the starting line-up of the squad in the upcoming season.

The 34-year-old will be starting his 12th season with the Old Trafford club, having joined the Manchester United side from Leeds in the year 2002. He knows he faces tough competition from the likes of Phil Jones, Rafael and Smalling, and should constantly be in prime form in order to play every match.

Nemanja Vidic was sidelined due to injury almost all of last season and Ferdinand, the former England captain, was the elder statesman at the back for the Red Devils, and is now ready to fight for his place.

“It was the same last season,” he was quoted by Daily Mail. “There is a great history and it is part of the club with young players coming through and establishing themselves and I am all for that, but I want to play games.

“I want to play for Man United, and the young lads are going to have to fight to get in the team just like I did when I was a kid.

“Now it is roles reversed but it is obvious if you want to win things you have to have rivalry within the squad and it is done the right way here – whoever gets the shirt is supported by everyone.”

Now it will be up to the new boss David Moyes to decide who his first choice of defensive pairing will be, as he takes the baton from the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.

The first major move brought about by the new manager was the addition of Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville, the old servants of the club in the coaching staffs.

“I think with a new manager there is a big change in the club, the biggest change for the last 20 years,” said Ferdinand.

“He seems so far to be very open. He seems like he wants to get immersed in the club and he wants to find out about the history of the club.

“He is talking to senior players about different aspects of the club and what we have done and working out where we have been before he got there – adding his own beliefs and ideas to what we have got as a championship-winning team is a good platform to work from.

“I think the manager has done well appointing Ryan Giggs to his coaching staff, he knows the club inside out, as does Phil Neville.

“So, alongside his own team, he will have the right people around him to give him the right advice when he needs it and when he asks and hopefully that will steer us in the right direction to win things.”

Ferdinand has six Premier League winners’ medals since moving to Manchester United 11 years ago.