Sir Alex Ferguson has urged Edwin van der Sar, who announce his intention to retire earlier this year, to ignore the dressing room pleas for him to extend his career by another season and quit whilst he is still at the top of his game.

Since then, the 40-year-old Dutchman has maintained an impressively high standard, leading to calls from Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand amongst others to abandon his plans. However, Ferguson is fearful that Van der Sar's standards may start to slip rapidly and without warning.

"If I was giving advice to Edwin van der Sar, right now, I would say retire," said Ferguson. "He is at the absolute pinnacle of his career, but sometimes when a player gets to that age, age comes onto you very suddenly.

If I was giving advice to Edwin van der Sar, right now, I would say retire.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager

"I wouldn't want to see Edwin van der Sar in that situation. He deserves to go out at the very top and hopefully he does that."

Van der Sar is aiming to land the third UEFA Champions League triumph of his career, in addition to his fourth Premier League title since moving north from Fulham in 2005.

"His career has been absolutely fantastic," said Ferguson. "It is not just what he does on the football field. It is how he has handles himself as a professional and a human being. He is absolutely outstanding. In our dressing room at half-time and before games, he is absolutely fantastic.

"My advice to him is that this is the time. There is no reason for him to risk another year and maybe drop below his standard."