Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol, who has reportedly received offers to return as a player in either the US or the Middle East, says he is "not ruling anything out" regarding his future plans.
Puyol, 37, retired from the game at the end of last season, after struggling with persistent knee problems for over two years.
Currently living in New York with his partner, Puyol has been working hard on fitness. And recent speculation in the Catalan press has claimed he was preparing to play again, with MLS his most likely destination.
Speaking from China, where he was being unveiled as an ambassador of the Laureus foundation, he told Mundo Deportivo that the condition of his knee was improving, but he was not yet sure what his next career move would be -- with a move into coaching also an option.
"At the moment I just want to get a good feeling back in my knee," Puyol said. "A few months ago I could not go down the stairs, and now I am better all the time. I am not ruling anything out. At present, I only run after my daughter Manuela... and it is true that I would like to coach."
Puyol, who won three Champions Leagues and six La Liga titles during 15 seasons as a Barcelona player, as well as Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup with Spain, was immediately offered a job in the Camp Nou's technical department upon retirement last summer.
However, that did not work out and he resigned in January when his friend and mentor Andoni Zubizarreta was fired by Blaugrana club chief Josep Maria Bartomeu.