Rio Ferdinand has revealed that both Barcelona and Real Madrid made approaches for his services during his time with Manchester United.

The centre-back joined the Red Devils from Leeds United for £30m in 2002 and he went on to spend 12 years at Old Trafford, before he was released at the end of last season.

Now at Queens Park Rangers, the 35-year-old has claimed that Spain's biggest two clubs were once keen to sign him, but he has insisted that he "wasn't interested" in leaving United.

"I spoke to Roma and also there was interested from Real Madrid and Barcelona at one time, but when I was at Manchester United and there was interest from other clubs I was winning things at Manchester United. My head was never turned to go anywhere else," he told the Daily Express.

"You tell someone from Manchester United or a team that's winning things that they could go abroad and you would be hard pressed to get them to go.

"If Gareth Bale had been at Manchester United and winning trophies he wouldn't have gone to Real Madrid. I was just turned on by winning. I wasn't interested in going anywhere else."

Ferdinand made 455 appearances for United, during which he scored eight goals.