Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has again urged French defender Laurent Blanc to put his retirement plans on hold.
"He is enjoying things right now. I would definitely like him to stay," Ferguson was quoted as saying in the Sunday Express.
"He is mature enough and has seen enough football to know whether he wants to continue."
Blanc said in January that he would quit playing at the end of the current season after just one year in England, but Ferguson believes the 36-year-old can carry on for longer at the highest level.
The former France captain was criticised in the media-- unfairly so, according to Ferguson - earlier this season as he struggled to adapt to the fast pace of the premier league.
"Some of the critics were partly blinded - they felt they had to have a go," said the United boss.
"Maybe selling Jaap Stam [to Lazio] had something to do with it and Laurent was an easy target because our form wasn't great at the time.
"He [Blanc] doesn't seem to be affected by the criticism. When you have great experience and confidence in yourself you can get through things.
"Some of his performances have been sublime. In fact, you couldn't get a better performance from a centre-half anywhere in Europe in some of the games."