Rio Ferdinand hopes his new contract with Manchester United will not be his last with the club as he looks to end his career at Old Trafford.

The defender is on the verge of signing a new five-year deal with United and has admitted he is keen to see out his playing days with the Premier League leaders.

Ferdinand joined United in 2002 in a £30million move from Leeds and the 29-year-old - who has at times captained Sir Alex Ferguson's side in the absence of injured skipper Gary Neville - is hopeful he will remain at Old Trafford beyond 2013, when his new deal is due to expire.

"I get chills and tingles down my spine just thinking about being at United for 11 years," Ferdinand said in the Manchester Evening News.

"If you'd said at the start of my career that I could one day be a United player for 11 years I would have bitten your hand off. The thought of that is great.

"I hope this new one is not my last contract. I would like to sign more because that would mean more years here and more time at the club I love and enjoy playing for."

And Ferdinand, who also captained England in their last friendly against France, is happy to silence the critics who suggested he would not remain at United for the long-term.

"People assumed I was a fly by night," Ferdinand added. "They thought I would be in the door and then out of the door in a few years.

"But those who thought that didn't know me. My drive is to be a successful footballer. I don't want to sit down at the end of my career and for people to say he is counting his money.

"That is the last thing I want to do. I want to be counting trophies and medals and to be able to walk around and be proud of what I have achieved. I want my family to be proud of what I have done and for United fans to be proud.

"Those who said I'd be off quickly had read me wrong. I have been terribly envious of the lads who've played a long time for this club such as Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

"If I wasn't envious of people like that and what they have done then I shouldn't be playing football. If you don't envy them and want to be like them and achieve what they have in the game then you are playing for fun only.

"I do play to enjoy it but I am also serious about it and I want to be around for a long time like they have been."

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