Rio Ferdinand has put his sprawling £10.5million UK mansion up for sale after moving his family to Dubai – in a move that appears to signal he has quit the UK for good.
The former Manchester United defender-turned-pundit relocated to the tax-free emirate in August, revealing how he wanted a ‘new journey’ with influencer wife Kate and their children.
Since then, Ferdinand, 47, has repeatedly eulogised over his new life in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while also taking aim at the UK’s tax system.
Now, in a move likely to fuel suggestions that the family’s switch to Dubai is permanent, the ex-England star has placed his lavish seven-bedroom home in Orpington, Kent, on the market.
The property, listed for £10.5million, sits within the exclusive gated enclave of Farnborough Park and spans an enormous 12,500 sq ft.
The architect-designed residence, which is surrounded by 20 acres of landscaped grounds, is described by estate agents as an ‘exceptional’ and ‘truly prestigious family home’.
Ferdinand’s decision to sell comes just months after he condemned tax rises and questioned whether Britain’s crumbling public services justified the burden placed on high earners.
Asked on LBC Radio in December whether higher taxes were behind his decision to move abroad, Ferdinand pointedly replied: ‘If things like the health service, for example, was absolutely flying and working perfectly well then I think people wouldn’t mind paying tax.
Ex-England star Rio Ferdinand has placed his seven-bedroom home in Orpington, Kent, on the market
Rio pictured with Kate, a fitness influencer who found fame on reality show The Only Way Is Essex
‘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.’
Ferdinand, who also played for West Ham and Leeds United, is understood to have bought the property for around £2.7million in 2008, meaning a sale at the full asking price would represent an increase of nearly £8million.
Ironically, he may face the prospect of having to pay capital gains tax on the profits if deemed by HM Revenue and Customs to be a non UK-resident.
Ferdinand, who was a pundit with TNT for a decade but quit last year, has spoken glowingly about his new life in Dubai, where he said his family feel ‘valued’ and happier.
The former defender lives with Kate, 34, their children Cree, five, and Shae, two, and his daughter Tia, 14, whom he had with his ex-wife Rebecca Ellison, in a luxury £7million bolthole in one of the state’s high-end suburbs.
The couple’s ultra-modern 12,700 sq ft home lies in the gated Al Barari neighbourhood, dubbed ‘the Green Heart of Dubai’.
Speaking previously about the move, Ferdinand said: ‘In Dubai, it feels like they’re valued and the lifestyle means that they’re happy and vibrant with a good energy for the kids. Lifestyle, safety, weather – it’s just a new life.’
He added: ‘I love England and I’m a patriotic guy in that sense, but a new journey, a new chapter, something different, I think is a refreshing new chapter in my life.’
In another interview last month with UAE outlet the Khaleej Times last month, Ferdinand continued to crow: ‘Whenever I do talk to people, I always say I am going home. Dubai is home.’
In December 2024, it was announced that The Ferdinand Group (TFG), a sports and entertainment investment company owned by the ex-player, acquired a minority stake in Koora Break, described as the fastest-growing football app in the Middle East and North Africa.
Established in 2022, by the time of Ferdinand’s investment that platform had 800 million visitors per month.
The aim of Ferdinand’s investment is to expand its reach across Europe and Asia as well help develop its profile ahead of the 2034 World Cup.
‘Everyone was saying, well what are you doing? It’s just a fast growing place,’ he reflected about the business opportunities in the Middle East to Bloomberg TV in November.
‘We’ve seen with all of the investment that’s going, in terms of media, football, sport in general,’ Ferdinand said. ‘It’s crazy the growth there.’
Another Middle East business Ferdinand had a relationship with is Qatar Airways. The ex-England centre back has starred in adverts for them and in November he helped partner up with the airline to launch their youth empowerment initiative called Qatar Airways United.
The property, listed for £10.5million, sits within the exclusive gated enclave of Farnborough Park and spans an enormous 12,500 sq ft
Ferdinand, who last year quit as a pundit with TNT Sports, has spoken glowingly about his new life in Dubai, where he said his family feel ‘valued’ and happier
It is to help community-building opportunities for under-resourced groups, the programme aims to build confidence and ambition in young people.
Ferdinand’s home in Kent boasts a grand reception hall, a principal reception room with a striking sunken seating area, multiple entertaining spaces and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors opening onto the gardens.
There is also a state-of-the-art gym, seven-bedroom suites, a palatial master suite complete with two dressing rooms and a mezzanine lounge, plus a triple garage, studio, office and utility areas.
The Rightmove listing states: ‘Nestled in an exclusive and discreet setting, this architect-designed masterpiece offers an exceptional standard of living, meticulously crafted to the vendors’ exacting specifications.
‘Spanning an impressive 12,500 sq ft, this distinguished residence is situated within the prestigious gated enclave of Farnborough Park, a coveted estate positioned securely within the M25.’
Would-be buyers are offered a ‘rare opportunity to acquire a truly prestigious family home in one of Greater London’s most desirable private estates‘, the blurb adds.
Ferdinand’s children Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17 – from his marriage to late wife Rebecca Ellison – remain in England, where they are on the books at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Kate, a fitness influencer who found fame on reality show The Only Way Is Essex, had previously spoken about being homesick.
Speaking on the couple’s Blended podcast in February, she said: ‘Rio loves it so much. I am enjoying it, but I miss home quite a lot. I get upset. I miss the big boys a lot and I’m just struggling with that.
She added: ‘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.’
