Rio Ferdinand will be offered a new one-year deal by Manchester United next month and be given the opportunity to extend his playing career into his 36th year.
Ferdinand, who withdrew from England's World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro last week because he wanted specialist treatment on a chronic back condition, joined United in 2002 and will have served 12 years at the club if he signs up.
The central defender is a free agent in June but United manager Sir Alex Ferguson views him in the same way as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes — a senior player who can continue playing despite his age and can offer vital off-the-field leadership.
Ferdinand had accepted Roy Hodgson's invitation to return to the squad two weeks ago after being excluded in 2011 for what the England manager described as 'football reasons'.
But, backed by United's medical opinion, Ferdinand made a last-minute decision to withdraw because he believed being involved in San Marino and Montenegro would upset a delicate treatment programme organised to help him cope with his back problem.
Ferguson revealed his view of the situation when he said: 'Rio's international career has been in doubt for a while anyway. He hadn't been picked for quite a few games.
'The physio and sports science departments here have been handling him in the correct way. He has enjoyed that and it has allowed him to have one of his best seasons.
'That is why Roy picked him, because his form has been absolutely outstanding. There's a way that we are treating Rio in terms of getting him ready for big matches. As everyone knows, we try to get him ready for the games that really matter.'
Ferdinand, who finds it difficult to play in two matches within a short space of time, was left out of United's side at Sunderland yesterday as Ferguson kept his options open for tomorrow's FA Cup quarter-final replay at Chelsea.
Ferdinand's decision to make a 14-hour return flight to Qatar to appear as a television pundit for the San Marino game — considered ill-advised by his critics — sparked an angry reaction from England fans and that is now the subject of a racist investigation by FIFA.
Furore: The United defender is at the centre of a racism storm after alleged chants by England fans in San Marino last Friday - THERE IS NO SUGGESTION THAT THOSE PICTURED WERE INVOLVED
But Ferguson dismissed the chants allegedly heard at the game as coming from a minority. He added that they would 'blow over' and were unlikely to be repeated this season. England's fate over the alleged racist chanting in San Marino looks set to be heard by FIFA's disciplinary body on April 10. They are likely to impose a fine if England fans are found guilty.
Ferguson last night set a four-win target to clinch his 13th Premier League championship as manager of United after their 1-0 victory at Sunderland.
'We have to win four games now, I think, but it's important to focus on our next league match at home to Manchester City.
'Courage got us through in the second half against Sunderland. We now go into the City game next week with a 15-point lead.'
And the United boss was backed by marksman Robin van Persie who insisted: 'This is a team full of winners. The result was never in doubt, even though it was only 1-0. I was always confident we would win it.'
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