Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand hopes to play until he's 40 - like AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini.

"People like Maldini are my inspiration," he told The Times. "You look at yourself and say, 'I want to do that.' I think the only difference with someone like Maldini is the league he plays in.

"Serie A is not as fast or aggressive or free-flowing as our football and that might be the biggest obstacle to me playing at 40 at that level, but you never know."