• Premier League

West Ham keen on Rio return

ESPN staff
October 26, 2012
Rio Ferdinand could be on his way back to Upton Park © PA Photos
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West Ham are seriously interested in bringing Rio Ferdinand back to Upton Park, but the club's former centre-half may prove too expensive, according to ESPN's West Ham sources.

Ferdinand, 33, made his Premier League debut for the Hammers in 1996 and may be available on the transfer market if United fail to renew his contract. Due to the defender's age, United will offer only a new one-year deal, as is club policy.

The England international is likely to take that offer, but his spiritual remains in east London. And a West Ham source told ESPN on Friday: "He might be too expensive, but who knows?"

It is believed Ferdinand may want to finish his career where it all began and West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said the club could make a play for the defender if he becomes available next summer.

"I think it's highly unlikely that we would consider Rio Ferdinand at the moment," Allardyce said. "But if it's at the end of the season and he hasn't got a new contract and he is going to leave Manchester United then we would be interested if we can sustain our Premier League status. It depends entirely on Rio.

"The chairman likes to think big and it's nice to have a chairman who thinks big. Everything has to be in place: if Rio wants to come back, the financial package and so on and so forth, and whether they want to release him or not.

"If he wants to live back in London eventually, which is where he comes from, which is what quite a few players like to do before the end of their careers then that might be an advantage for us."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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