Rio Ferdinand is delaying a decision over whether to sign a new deal with Manchester United.

The defender wants to see how his body copes with the busy winter programme before making a decision on his long-term future.

"The best thing I can do is to look at it after Christmas, and then again in the summer, to see how I'm feeling and go from there," said Ferdinand. "But hearing the manager saying I could go on for maybe another two or three years definitely puts the spring back in your step.

"I will have a better idea about 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 has to start.

"I will probably then get a better gauge of where I am, fitness-wise, and the benefit of having the summer off then."