19 December 2023 , 10:02
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Rio Ferdinand has followed in the footsteps of his former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney by having a hair transplant.
Ferdinand has revealed all in a promotional video for Dr Cinik, a clinic based in the Turkish city of Istanbul. The 45-year-old underwent procedures on his hair and beard, and while the video was released on Sunday, it is unclear when they took place.
“I'm here to get my beard sorted out, I've got a couple of holes, a couple of patches,” Ferdinand says in the video. “Get my hair transplant done. I can't wait to get it done. Listen, if you're ever thinking about getting yours done, this is the place to be.”
In the highly-produced video Ferdinand, who is now a pundit for TNT Sports, can be seen arriving at the clinic in sunglasses before greeting staff, posing with a United shirt and admiring a wall full of signed football shirts, which include jerseys from Liverpool, Marseille, Brazil and Croatia. He is then filmed undergoing the process of having his hairline brought forward and patches of his beard filled in.
A hair transplant at the clinic starts at €2,350 (£2,027) and goes up to €3,790 (£3,271). Dr Cinik’s clinic is no stranger to footballers. Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes underwent a hair transplant at the same clinic, which is run by Dr Emrah Cinik, back in 2022.
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Brazil legend Rivaldo, former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel, ex-Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna and Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitic and defender Nemanja Gudelj have also been there for hair transplants, ex-Barcelona winger Ludovic Giuly for a hair transplant and plastic surgery, while Juventus legend David Trezeguet and ex-Uruguay international Diego Lugano have visited for dental work.
Rio Ferdinand had a procedure on his hairline and beard (TikTok / @dremrahcinik)
He visited a clinic in Turkey (TikTok / @dremrahcinik)Ferdinand's former England and United team-mate Rooney famously underwent hair transplants in 2011 and in 2013. “I was going bald at 25, why not,” he said in 2011. “I'm delighted with the result.”
Ferdinand revealed in 2021 that he dyes his beard to avoid looking “like a Dalmatian”. Speaking on Gabby Logan’s podcast, he said: “I'm not ashamed of having grey hair, I don't care, but it looks better if it's all one colour.
“If it all went grey, the whole beard was grey, I'd let it just go. But it's like patchwork. I'd like it, that distinguished look, if it was all grey, I wouldn't care. But it's the patchwork business, I'm like a Dalmatian, I don't like it.”
In a recent pitchside interview with United boss Erik ten Hag, Ferdinand's TNT Sports colleague Laura Woods joked that Ferdinand was only wearing a flat cap because he "doesn't like his new haircut". It is unclear when the hair transplant took place, but Ferdinand was in Istanbul with TNT Sports for the Champions League final in June.