“I was just numb” – Rio Ferdinand recollects conversation over Manchester United exit with Ed Woodward

Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United centre-back, has opened up about his departure from his previous club in 2014. He recollected how his conversation with then chief executive Ed Woodward had left him "gobsmacked".

The 43-year-old, who lifted six Premier League trophies and won one UEFA Champions League crown during his 12-year spell at Old Trafford, was unexpectedly let go by Manchester United. It happened in a summer which also saw the exits of experienced players like Ryan Giggs, Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic.

Manchester United were in a period of transition after the 2013/14 season. Ferdinand believes that the decision to allow three or four senior players to leave the club at that point was mind-boggling.

Speaking about the summer of 2014 at Manchester United on his FIVE YouTube channel, Ferdinand said:

"We played Southampton away, and I'd asked a couple of times if I was getting a new deal or not. I was told the manager hasn't worked out what he's doing yet and it gets delayed and delayed. Vidic knew, he was told he wasn't going to be renewed, so he got to have a little send-off at the end. I wasn't even thinking about myself."

He added:

"My genuine feeling was the fact that the club had told Vida he wasn't staying, Patrice Evra wasn't staying, Ryan Giggs wasn't staying. There's three or four big characters leaving at that point. [There are] leaders, captains doing in a squad that needs leadership."

He further said:

"And I thought if they're all going, then there's a chance I probably will stay because they can't let us all go. [It would be] mind-boggling if they let us all go, I couldn't see it. And then we all went!"

Ferdinand also said:

"The chief executive at the time, Ed Woodward, came into the changing room; all the directors would usually come in and say 'well played' after. He came and he just said to me, 'Listen, by the way, we're not gonna renew your contract' in that moment 10 minutes after the game."

He finally said:

"I was just numb. A few of the players saw me talking to him and have seen my reaction. I'm not really good at hiding how I feel about things, so I was sat there just gobsmacked. And listen, physically, I was shot; I knew that. But I still feel I had more to offer if these said players were leaving the club."

Manchester United in a similar position once again

Manchester United are currently in a similar position after finishing sixth last season. Erik ten Hag has been roped in as the new head coach and a complete squad overhaul is expected this summer with multiple departures already confirmed.

United have bid adieu to Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Juan Mata, whose contracts expire at the end of this month. Jesse Lingard is also expected to join the list soon. Nemanja Matic has also left the club by mutual consent despite having one year left on his current contract.