Rio Ferdinand is seriously considering a move to Queens Park Rangers, with the 35-year-old a free agent after being released by Manchester United.

Ferdinand is attracted to working again under Harry Redknapp, who gave him his senior debut in 1996 when the QPR manager was in charge of West Ham United. The central defender, who spent 12 years at Old Trafford following his record £30m transfer from Leeds United in the summer of 2002, is a huge admirer of Redknapp, considering him a mentor during the formative years of his highly successful career.

Ferdinand has learned to manage the back problem that threatened to force him into early retirement a couple of seasons ago and is minded to play on at the highest level should the right opportunity present itself, saying recently: “I’m feeling fit and healthy, ready for a new challenge, and looking forward to whatever the future holds for me.”

With QPR once more in the Premier League after Saturday’s 1-0 Championship play-off final victory against Derby County, and the Peckham-born defender keen to relocate back to the capital with his family, the west London club could prove ideal.

Redknapp believes Ferdinand would be a key asset in the challenge of ensuring QPR are not relegated straight back down. The club did so under his management at the end of the 2012-13 campaign, though the 67-year-old had taken over that season from the sacked Mark Hughes, who handed over a team that was in bottom place after 13 games, seven points from safety.

However, with expected interested from other Premier League clubs, as well as from those in China, Dubai, and Major League Soccer, Ferdinand will not rush into any decision.

Redknapp sealed promotion for QPR through Bobby Zamora’s closing moment’s strike against Steve McClaren’s Derby at Wembley, after Gary O’Neil had been sent off for the Hoops in the 59th-minute for a professional foul on Will Hughes as the midfielder advanced on Robert Green’s goal.

O’Neil is one of several QPR players whose contract expires this summer and whose futures are unclear. Robert Green, Armand Traoré, Jermaine Jenas, Zamora, Andy Johnson, Alejandro Faurlín, Luke Young and Stéphane Mbia could all leave.

O’Neil would like to stay at the club, but is yet to have his situation clarified by Redknapp and the chairman, Tony Fernandes. “I’ve had a fantastic year,” the 31-year-old told TalkSport. “I’ve really enjoyed my time there. I enjoy working with Harry. We have got fantastic lads, fantastic fans. The atmosphere was fantastic in the Championship at the stadium so, hopefully, I will get a chance to taste it in the Premier League.”

Redknapp’s busy summer of restructuring his squad for the top-flight is further underlined by him having eight loanees – Ravel Morrison, Benoît Assou-Ekotto, Niko Kranjcar, Kevin Doyle, Tom Carroll, Aaron Hughes, Modibo Maïga and Will Keane – all returning to their respective parent clubs.

The manager also has five more players who had been out on loan returning – Julio César, Adel Taarabt, Samba Diakité, Esteban Granero and Loïc Rémy. Park Ji-sung, who was at PSV Eindhoven on a temporary basis, has announced his retirement from the game because of a knee injury.

With Ferdinand joining Nemanja Vidic in an expected exodus of players from United this close season, the 20-times champions remain in a strong position to sign Luke Shaw from Southampton despite his prospective transfer having stalled.

United had been convinced that the deal to take the left-back to Old Trafford was all but sealed and despite Shaw now taking time to consider his options and Chelsea – plus a host of other top domestic and continental clubs – closely monitoring his situation, it would still present a major surprise should United fail to secure the 18-year-old’s signature.

Whether Wilfried Zaha, who cost United £15m in January 2013, has a chance to impress the new manager, Louis van Gaal, is in the balance. Zaha has been on loan at Cardiff City, but is due to return to United for pre-season training.