MANCHESTER United have handed goalkeeper Ben Foster a new four-year deal – and are poised to snap up promising winger Gabriel Obertan from Bordeaux.
While the 20-year-old is having a medical ahead of a probable move to Old Trafford, Foster has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2013.
It is a welcome boost for the 26-year-old England international, whose career has
been hampered by injury. He missed the end of last season after needing surgery on a ruptured ligament in his right thumb.
Foster was forced to miss the title run-in and the Champions League final defeat by Barcelona because of his injury. He also sat out England's World Cup qualifiers in June.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "We are delighted that Ben has signed a new four-year deal.
"Ben is seen as one of the best young goalkeepers in England and we genuinely see him as a successor to Edwin van der Sar."
Foster remains determined to claim the No 1 spot when Van der Sar decides to retire but knows he faces stiff competition from Polish shot-stopper Tomasz Kuszczak. "I'm really happy to commit my future to the club. The spirit here is fantastic and working along side Edwin and Tomasz has been a great influence," said Foster, who has made only 10 appearances for United after arriving in July 2005 from Stoke.
The full article contains 246 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
