Rio Ferdinand to release "revealing autobiography"

Blink Publishing is to publish a “revealing new autobiography” by Rio Ferdinand, which will include his thoughts on the past season at Manchester United under the management of David Moyes.

#2Sides: Rio Ferdinand – My Autobiography, so named to reflect how the footballer interacts with his fans on Twitter, will be set against the backdrop of this year’s World Cup in Brazil, where Ferdinand will be presenting and commentating.

Blink Publishing, an imprint of Bonnier Publishing Group, said that the book, which will be ghost written by David Winner, will tell Ferdinand’s personal story as well as “offer an insight to the modern day player and the training and discipline needed”.

Ferdinand has played for Manchester United since August 2002, and his contract at the club expires next month. The team has had a disappointing season, which saw manager Moyes, who took on the job after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, sacked in April after just 10 months in charge.

Ferdinand said: “There has been lots of media speculation over recent years about my career and I feel now is the right time to tell my side of the story, as well as my ambitions for the future.”

Blink Publishing m.d. Perminder Mann acquired worldwide rights from New Era Global Enterprises.

She said: “We’ve been working on the autobiography with Rio for the last 12 months, since we published his testimonial book. He’s had an illustrious career and everyone wants to know what’s next.”

Ferdinand published Rio: My Story with Headline in 2007, and last year Blink Publishing released Rio: My Decade as a Red, a book of photographs and commentary, which had a foreward written by Sir Alex Ferguson.