Manchester United's interest in Manuel Neuer could be scuppered by Schalke's contract negotiations

Neuer, who impressed during Germany’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in South Africa last summer, is on United’s shortlist alongside Ajax’s Maarten Stekelenburg and Atletico Madrid’s David de Gea to replace Edwin van der Sar when the 40 year-old retires at the end of this season. Neuer, 24, is also a target for Bayern Munich.

United and Bayern are ready to take advantage of Neuer’s contract situation at Schalke, with his deal due to expire in June 2012. It is understood that Neuer’s contract includes an escape clause that can be triggered by Champions League participants offering in excess of €15 million for the player.

However, the deal also allows Schalke to reject such an offer with the proviso that they increase Neuer’s €2 million-a-year salary by 20 per cent. With growing interest in their goalkeeper, however, Schalke are ready to open talks over a new deal. Felix Magath, the Schalke head coach, said: “He is definitely with us until 2012. But we are in conversation and will meet again in the spring.

“The discussions so far suggest that we have a chance to extend Manuel’s contract.”

United goalkeeping coach Eric Steele admitted this month that the club had identified three leading contenders to replace Van der Sar.

Liverpool's Pepe Reina has been considered by United, who are aware of the £20 million release clause in the Spaniard’s contract at Anfield, but the difficulties in prising a player from Liverpool, including the off-field furore that could affect any player moving between the clubs, has rendered Reina as an outsider to replace Van der Sar.

United could yet turn to Reina, who continues to interest Arsenal, should they fail to land any of their top three targets. Schalke’s determination to retain Neuer could prompt United to firm up their interest in Stekelenburg, who is expected to leave Ajax this summer, but Atletico youngster De Gea has reiterated his readiness to remain in Madrid.

The Spain Under-21 goalkeeper said: “If you’re comfortable in your club, you do not look for anything. Football is so that, when you feel comfortable in a club, there is no need to change. That’s my situation.”

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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney set for further court battle with former agents

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney could face another date in court after his former sports management company, Proactive, were granted permission to appeal the right to appeal a decision made last year, report.

Rooney, who left the firm in 2008, had a contract with Proactive that stated they would receive 20 per cent commission for deals while the striker was with Everton so when the payments were not received they took the striker and his agent Paul Stretford, the founder of Proactive, to court.

And in July 2010 Proactive’s claim to recoup the £4 million they were owed in commission was deemed unenforceable by the judge at Manchester Mercantile court.

However yesterday, at the Court of Appeal in London, the sports management company was given permission to appeal that decision which could see Rooney back in court in the near future.

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Mick McCarthy hopes win over Manchester United will silence survival doubters

Mick McCarthy is full of pride after his side’s heroics in sending Manchester United crashing to their first defeat of the season and the Wolves boss insists his side's place in the Premier League does not reflect their performances.

Suffering a last-gasp defeat at Bolton in midweek, McCarthy was left fielding questions on how he would raise his shattered side for the visit of a side yet to taste defeat.

McCarthy told the club’s official website: "I am very proud of the lads but I always am for the way they go about their job. "I was on Wednesday night as well even though we made a rick which cost us the game.
"I get a little bit tired of people asking about team spirit and morale and having to lift them up but again this performance shows everyone the character in the squad.

"My teams are built on team spirit but we've a bit more quality than just that.”In his 100th game as a Premier League manager, McCarthy watched his side fall behind to an early Nani strike before stunning United with two goals before the interval.

"We'd started great and with a good tempo and could have been 1-0 up but then Nani showed a bit of brilliance,” he added. "I guess a lot of teams may have capitulated especially after the disappointment in the week but it speaks volumes for the players to be honest."

George Elokobi and Kevin Doyle both headed home from set-pieces prior to the interval and set up a second-half in which Wolves defended doggedly to clinch their first win in four and their first victory over United since 2004.

"We've played well this season and perhaps not had the results we deserve,” added McCarthy.

"I always thought it was going to be a season of trials and tribulations and never for one minute thought it would be plain sailing and happy every weekend.

"But Saturdays like this make up for the disappointment from Wednesday."McCarthy who is 52 on Monday, also moved to praise defender Ronald Zubar who came under-fire on Wednesday for a poorly hit back pass which gifted Daniel Sturridge a debut goal and Bolton a 94th minute victory.

"I trusted him and picked him because I know what he is all about," said McCarthy. "You have to show faith in players and don't just leave him out for one aberration. "And what a terrific response from him after - I'm thrilled for him - we all love him and he's a terrific guy.”

Wolves now face a trip to the Emirates next week but will have one eye on tomorrow’s relegation six-pointer between West Ham and Birmingham, sides who accompany Wolves in the dreaded drop zone.

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Manchester United boss thanks Carlisle Utd for looking after youngsters

In an exclusive interview with News & Star Sport, Ferguson revealed how impressed he has been with Blues boss Greg Abbott which has led to his willingness to send some of his future stars to the League One club.

Highly-rated left-back Joe Dudgeon is the latest Old Trafford kid to arrive at Carlisle on loan after being packed off by Ferguson to gain first-team experience.

The 20-year-old, who made his senior football debut in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Oldham Athletic, has followed in the footsteps of James Chester, who spent three months on loan at Carlisle before signing for Hull City last month in a £300,000 deal.

Corry Evans and Oliver Norwood are two other promising Manchester United youngsters who have been on loan at Carlisle.

The Manchester United supremo’s delight at how his young players have flourished during loan spells at Carlisle raises the tantalising prospect of more Fergie fledglings landing at Brunton Park.

Ferguson told News & Star Sport: “Greg is doing a really good job up there, and he is a young, positive manager. Carlisle look after our players very well and are a well organised club. They always keep us updated on how our players are progressing.

“We send our players out on loan to give them more playing time and Greg has done a great job with the players he has had from us.”

Ferguson is keen for his young players to get senior football experience with lower-league clubs like Carlisle rather than play reserve team football, and he has fostered a close working relationship with Abbott.

Abbott revealed last week that he had spent 20 minutes on the phone to his Manchester United counterpart while arranging Dudgeon’s loan move to Carlisle.

The Blues boss said: “The manager rang me personally to talk about him and he holds Joe in the highest regard.

“It is one of the pleasures of the job getting to speak to Sir Alex. He told us to keep things going and said if he could ever be of help he would try to help us. He likes the way we’ve done things.

“It was great that he took the time to ring as he has enough things to concentrate on. They are fighting for four trophies and the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy isn’t one of them!”

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Manchester United Defender Retires

Manchester United defender Gary Neville retired after a 20-year career spent entirely with the club. Neville, who turns 36 on Feb. 18, signed with United and played 602 games in its most successful era. His career was curtailed the past four years by recurring injuries.

Luis Suárez, who was acquired at Monday’s transfer deadline from Ajax of Amsterdam, scored in his Liverpool debut. He entered as a substitute and scored in the 78th minute of a 2-0 win over Stoke in an English Premier League game.

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's drive can help us match Treble winners, insists Rio Ferdinand

United will stretch their unbeaten run in the Premier League to a club record-equalling 29 games if they avoid defeat against Aston Villa on Tuesday night.

Unbeaten in the league since losing to Chelsea at Old Trafford last April, Ferguson’s team will match the run between December 1998 to October 1999 if they take a point or more against Gérard Houllier’s resurgent Villa.

During the record-breaking run in the Nineties, United won 20 and drew nine games before Chelsea thumped them 5-0 at Stamford Bridge.

United have won 18 and drawn 10 of their league fixtures this time around, but their ability to rescue seemingly lost causes with fightbacks at Villa and Blackpool has been the stand-out feature.

Against both Villa and Blackpool United overturned a 2-0 deficit late in the game to emerge unbeaten and Ferdinand, who has declared himself fit to return on Tuesday night after missing the last three games in all competitions, insists that the determination to sustain the unbeaten run comes directly from Ferguson. “You never lose faith when you play for Manchester United,” Ferdinand said. “It’s in our make-up that the game is not over until the final whistle has blown and, until then, you try your hardest.

“It comes from the manager because the manager has got that desire and will to win. He has been here for almost 25 years and if he’s still got it, then why haven’t players that have only been here for a year, two years, 10 years, whatever?

“It comes from him and filters down through the club and that’s always the way it has been. That’s why you see so often that we can come back from adverse situations and create results like we did against Blackpool.

"If you do that week in, week out you get a bit of luck and you get your rewards.

“We’ve done it all season, gone goals behind and come back. We did it at Villa when we were 2-0 down and got a draw.

“During the Blackpool game last week, I’ve never had so many tweets in my life! People tweeting and saying ‘you’re this, you're that, you’re finished.’ But we showed otherwise.”

United are now 11/1 by bookmakers Betfair to emulate Arsenal’s Invincibles of 2003-04 by remaining unbeaten in the league for the rest of the season and leading goalscorer Dimitar Berbatov claims that confidence is growing within the squad that they can rise to the challenge.

“I remember Arsenal winning the title without losing a game and it was a tremendous run,” said Berbatov. “But I’m confident we can do it too. We know we have some difficult away matches, but I believe we’re capable of finishing without a single defeat.”

Ferguson is expected to restore his first choice back four to the starting line-up against Villa after making wholesale changes for Saturday’s FA Cup victory at Southampton.

But the United manager expects Villa, for whom £24 million new signing Darren Bent scored on his debut against Manchester City last week, to provide a stern test of his team’s unbeaten run.

Ferguson said: “Whatever you say about Bent, he’s certainly got a reasonable goal ratio at all his clubs. He cost a lot of money but that will be justified if he gets them into a far better position.

“When you are down there in the Premier League it’s not easy to get out of it, but two victories can make a difference and they are getting their squad back after injuries.”

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