Ferdinand, who confirmed his retirement from international football last Wednesday after winning 81 England caps, has just five weeks remaining on his current £115,00-a-week deal at Old Trafford.
But with Moyes expected to start work at United in an unofficial capacity from Monday following the end of his eleven-year reign as Everton manager on Sunday, it is understood that Ferdinand’s future will be the first issue to be addressed by the Scot.
Ongoing uncertainty over Wayne Rooney’s commitment to United is another priority for Moyes to deal with, as are the stalled contract negotiations with Portuguese winger Nani, who is expected to be sold this summer.
Ferdinand’s advisers have been in discussions with outgoing United chief executive David Gill in recent weeks in an effort to finalise the terms of a 12-month contract extension.
And while Sir Alex Ferguson, who retires as manager on Sunday, has repeatedly insisted that the £30m buy from Leeds will be offered a new deal, the final decision on Ferdinand has been left with Moyes, who has given the nod to the player’s new agreement.
Despite being plagued by back and calf problems in recent years, Ferdinand has enjoyed a renaissance over the past 18 months and he made a crucial contribution to United’s title success this season, making 27 appearances in the Premier League.
Sources close to Ferdinand have confirmed that the defender has received numerous lucrative offers to leave Old Trafford this summer, with clubs in China and the Middle East prepared to double his current United salary in an effort to tempt him away.
However, the player has stated his desire to remain at the top level for as long as possible and he is expected to sign his contract extension in the early stages of this week to hand Moyes a positive start to his reign as United manager.
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