RIO Ferdinand has announced he is quitting his pundit role with TNT Sports.
Former Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand, 46, has been one of the faces of the channel since joining its predecessor BT Sport in 2015.
Ferdinand has acted as both a pundit and co-commentator for domestic and European football, including last week’s Europa League Final between United and Spurs in Bilbao.
But the ex-Three Lions skipper will step away from the TNT microphone after Saturday’s Champions League Final between Inter Milan and PSG in Munich.
Ferdinand explained in a lengthy social media post: “After 10 incredible years. I have made the difficult decision to step away from TNT Sports after the Champions League final.
“Since retiring from football it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching on BT Sports and TNT Sports.
“I want to acknowledge the tremendous support from the team behind the scenes, whose hard work often goes unseen, but has been essential to our success.
“To everyone at TNT Sports, we have a brilliant end to the season to look forward to on Saturday, and for now all focus will be on what I think could go down as one of the great European finals.
“The network continues to thrive with more rights than ever, and I look forward to following its progress and the exciting future that lies ahead.
“Lastly, I would like to thank my family and my management company New Era for their ongoing support.
“They have supported me to travel all over the Europe following the best players and watching the best matches. For a football fan like me, it’s been a dream come true.
“As I turn the page to the next chapter. I carry with me countless memories.
“I’m excited about what the future holds, spending more time with my family, focusing on Rio Ferdinand Presents and my other business interests.
“I hope to stay connected with all of you in different capacities. Thank you once again for everything.”
Sources at TNT suggested Ferdinand could return to the channel in the future, whether on a guest or permanent basis and that it was entirely his decision.
The moves allows Ferdinand to concentrate on his own online channels, which have become increasingly popular.
Ferdinand was recently off work after suffering from a health scare, forcing him to miss Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final second leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
He was hospitalised with a serious virus, which he later called a “crazy illness” that left him vomiting.
Ferdinand can now juggle his time better between family life and work commitments, including his management company New Era.
He is married to wife Kate, who he shares two biological children with.
The couple also raise three kids from Ferdinand’s first marriage to late partner Rebecca, who tragically died from cancer in 2015.
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