"I'd love to have Rio [Ferdinand] here when he's done enough at Old Trafford," he told the Sunday Times. "He'll go on until he's 35 because he's a tremendous athlete. People are scared of taking players like Sol [Campbell] and David, not just because they are at a certain age, but also because they are strong characters, strong personalities - but they have something to offer.

"There's a lad who is playing in the Championship this season who has been around, but he has got the ability to play higher, and he has shown it this season on the big stage in the FA Cup. I'm not going to tell you who, but I'm keeping an eye on him."