Rio Ferdinand's 'return to UK stance' after wife's emotional confession about Dubai life

Rio Ferdinand may be reluctant to leave life in Dubai behind, despite his wife Kate's heartfelt admission that she misses home.

The 47-year-old former Manchester United defender relocated to the United Arab Emirates with part of his family after his punditry role with TNT Sports came to an end. Since then, he has purchased a £6 million property in the low-tax, high-compliance territory and made several financial investments in the region.

However, not everything has gone smoothly. Kate, whom Ferdinand married in 2019 — four years after his first wife Rebecca Ellison passed away from breast cancer — has opened up about struggling with homesickness. The couple made the move with their two children, Cree, five, and daughter Shae, two, alongside Ferdinand's daughter Tia, 14, from his first marriage.

His two eldest sons, Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, chose to remain in the UK as they continue to progress through the academy ranks at Brighton & Hove Albion. Lorenz signed his first professional contract with the Seagulls last summer, while Tate features for the Under-21s.

Speaking on her Blended podcast, Kate became emotional as she admitted she has "struggled" with being away from the boys, as well as her friends and family in London — despite describing Dubai as an "amazing" place to live.

She said: "I feel like we've opened our eyes to a different world. But I love London, I love the UK. I love so many things about the UK. I do feel happy in Dubai, but I'm just missing a part of me."

Given Lorenz and Tate's football commitments, a move to Dubai is not on the cards for them in the near future. However, according to the Daily Mail, it appears equally unlikely that Ferdinand will return to the UK.

Speaking previously about the move, Ferdinand said: "The children who are coming are 14, which is perfect because it's their two years of GCSEs starting this August. Then we've got a four and a two-year-old, so it's perfect timing for them as well. And the curriculum is English curriculum, but it's just done a different way. I feel the teachers in the UK feel a little bit like undervalued, underpaid."

In November, he told LBC: "If things like the health service, for example, was absolutely flying and working perfectly well then I think people wouldn't mind paying tax. But when there's things that are falling apart and going wrong in the country, then I sit there and go, 'We pay towards tax and is it really going towards the things that are actually benefiting the people that live here?' And that's the big question that needs answering. I think a lot of us know the answer to that."