I’d be worth £170m in today’s market – Rio Ferdinand

Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand believes he would be worth £170m if the EPL giants were trying to sign him from Leeds in today’s transfer market.

Fees paid for players have risen substantially since Ferdinand’s playing days. In July 2002, the centre-back signed from United’s fierce rivals for approximately £30m.

This transfer made him the most expensive British footballer and the world’s most expensive defender. The 44-year-old instantly formed a solid partnership with Nemanja Vidic and both were regarded as arguably the best in the world in the mid-2000s.

However, money spent on defenders and players has skyrocketed since.

Discussing transfer fees on his FIVE YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand boldly claimed he would be worth £170m in today’s market. He said;

“I was 30m back in the day. Imagine today man. 100m would be cheap for me, serious, in today’s market. £170m, £400,000 per week, that is what I would be now, I would be that now.

“If you want [my wages] to be that [£500,000-£600,000] they can be that but that is what I am saying 400 to 450.”

Such a fee as high as £170m would be more than what Mbappe was sold to Paris Saint-Germain for in 2018. The French superstar signed for the Ligue 1 giants for £166m, making him the second-highest transfer of all time.

Neymar currently holds the record after also joining PSG for a fee of £199m.

Currently, the most expensive centre-back is Harry Maguire after he joined United in 2019 for £80m.

Ferdinand had an extensive career in football, playing for 20 years in the Premier League, most notably with Manchester United.

He also played for West Ham, Leeds, QPR, and a loan stint at Bournemouth, accumulating over 700 appearances.

Ferdinand’s honours list is incredible, winning seven Premier League titles, two League Cups, and the Champions League in 2008.