Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has revealed he could retire at the end of the season.
The 36-year-old has become a key figure at Old Trafford since making his debut for the first-team in 1994, and he has been offered a one-year contract extension by manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
But Scholes said: “I'll decide at the end of the season (if he will carry on playing or retire).
“I really don't know what I am going to do yet. I've got these games to think about now and I will decide from there.
“People always say you should play as long as you can but there comes a time when you just can't physically do it.
“I'm wary of that. I just want to make sure it is done at the right time.”
Next up for Scholes and United is an FA Cup semi-final showdown with Manchester City on Saturday, and the former England man has fanned the flames ahead of the Wembley Stadium encounter by claiming he does not consider City as major rivals.
He said: “When they are fourth or fifth, I don't think they can be classed as a main rival.
“Our main rivals are obviously Arsenal and Chelsea. I think City are just a rival because of where they are (geographically). Liverpool is the same.”
Scholes continued: “With them getting the money, it has probably helped us and spurred us on a bit more when we have played them.
“There has been nothing to choose between us in the last five or six games. They will obviously be p***** off that they have only managed to beat us once (under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour) and that game was a Carling Cup semi-final first leg, with us having another game to make up for it.
“We have nicked the games with goals in the last minutes. I've done it, Michael Owen's done it and Wayne Rooney did it last season. That's maybe the difference between the two teams.
“We have a belief that we can beat anybody, but if City have that, I'm not too sure. But their spending is not our problem is it?”