Has tax-exile Rio Ferdinand quit Britain for good? Football pundit puts his sprawling £10.5million UK mansion up for sale – nine months after moving his family to Dubai

Rio Ferdinand has put his vast £10.5 million mansion in England up for sale after moving his family to Dubai; this appears to signal a complete departure from the UK.

The former Manchester United defender turned pundit moved to the tax-free emirate in August and revealed how he wanted a ‘new journey’ with his impressive wife Kate and children.

Since then, Ferdinand, 47, has repeatedly praised his new life in the United Arab Emirates, while also taking aim at the UK’s tax system.

Now, in a move that is likely to fuel suggestions that the family’s move to Dubai is permanent, the former England star has put his luxury seven-bedroom home in Orpington, Kent, up for sale.

Listed for £10.5 million, the property is located in the private gated residential area of ​​Farnborough Park and spans a whopping 12,500 square metres.

Surrounded by 20 acres of landscaped grounds, the architect-designed residence is described by estate agents as ‘exceptional’ and ‘a 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 on high-income earners.

Asked on LBC Radio in December whether higher taxes were behind his decision to move abroad, Ferdinand pointedly replied: ‘If things like healthcare, for example, are absolutely flying and working perfectly, then I think people won’t mind paying taxes.

Rio is pictured with fitness influencer Kate, who found fame on reality show The Only Way Is Essex

‘But if things are falling apart and going wrong in the country, I sit there and go, we pay taxes and is that actually going to things that benefit the people who live here?

‘And that’s the big question that needs to be answered. I think most 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 £2.7 million in 2008; This means that at the asking price the sale would represent an increase of around £8 million.

Ironically, if he is deemed a non-UK resident by HM Revenue and Customs he may face the prospect of having to pay capital gains tax on the profits.

Ferdinand, who left TNT Sports last year, talked cheerfully about his new life in Dubai, where he said his family felt ‘valued’ and happier.

The former defender lives in a luxury £7m retreat in one of the state’s posh suburbs with Kate, 34, children Cree, five, Shae, two, and daughter Tia, 14.

The couple’s 12,700 square meter ultra-modern home is located in the gated Al Barari district, dubbed the ‘Green Heart of Dubai’.

Speaking previously about the move, Ferdinand said: ‘There is a feeling that they are valued in Dubai and the lifestyle means that the children are happy and lively and have good energy for the children. Lifestyle, safety, weather; It’s just a new life.’

He added: ‘I love England and I’m a patriotic man in that sense, but a new journey, a new chapter, something different, I think a refreshing new chapter in my life.’

In another interview with UAE publication Khaleej Times last month, Ferdinand continued to shout: ‘Whenever I talk to people, I always say I’m going home. Dubai is home.’

In December 2024, it was announced that Ferdinand Group (TFG), the sports and entertainment investment company owned by the former player, acquired a minority stake in Koora Break, which is described as the fastest growing football application in the Middle East and North Africa.

The platform, which was founded in 2022 when Ferdinand invested, had 800 million visitors per month.

The aim of Ferdinand’s investment is to expand its reach in Europe and Asia and help raise its profile ahead of the 2034 World Cup.

‘Everyone was saying, so what are you doing? In November, he told Bloomberg TV about business opportunities in the Middle East, stating that it was a fast-growing place.

‘We have seen all the investments made in media, football and sports in general,’ Ferdinand said. ‘The growth there is crazy.’

Another Middle Eastern company that Ferdinand has a relationship with is Qatar Airways. The former England defender has starred in adverts and in November helped the airline enter into a partnership to launch a youth empowerment initiative called Qatar Airways United.

Listed for £10.5 million, the property is located in the private gated residential area of ​​Farnborough Park and spans a whopping 12,500 square metres.

Ferdinand, who left TNT Sports last year, talked cheerfully about his new life in Dubai, where he said his family felt ‘valued’ and happier.

Aiming to facilitate community-building opportunities for under-resourced groups, the program aims to build confidence and ambition in young people.

Ferdinand’s home in Kent features a large reception hall, a main reception room with stunning built-in seating, multiple entertaining areas and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors opening onto the gardens.

There is also a state-of-the-art gym, seven-bedroom suites, a sumptuous master suite complete with two walk-in closets and a mezzanine lounge, as well as a triple garage, studio, office and utility spaces.

The Rightmove listing states: ‘Set in a private and homely setting, this architect-designed masterpiece offers an exceptional standard of living, meticulously crafted to the sellers’ exacting specifications.

‘Spanning an impressive 12,500 square metres, this exclusive residence is located in the prestigious gated enclave of Farnborough Park, a coveted property securely positioned on the M25.’

The blurb states that potential buyers are offered ‘a rare opportunity to acquire a truly prestigious family home in one of Greater London’s most desirable private estates’.

Ferdinand’s children, Lorenz (19) and Tate (17), from his marriage to his late wife Rebecca Ellison, remain in England and are registered at Brighton and Hove Albion.

Fitness influencer Kate, who found fame on reality show The Only Way Is Essex, has previously spoken about missing home.

Speaking on the couple’s Blended podcast in February, he said: ‘Rio loves him so much. I’m having fun, but I miss my home so much. I am sad. I miss the big kids so much and I struggle with it.

He added: ‘I feel like we’ve opened our eyes to a different world. But I love London, I love England. I love so many things about the UK.

‘I feel happy in Dubai, but I just miss a part of me.’