Ferguson wants Scholes to extend United stay

Sir Alex Ferguson believes that Paul Scholes’s recent fine form will convince the veteran midfielder to scrap thoughts of retirement and sign a new one-year deal with Manchester United.

Scholes, 35, has been offered the extension by United management but has yet to agree terms, having hinted before Christmas that there was a possibility of him retiring when his current deal ends at the conclusion of this season.

But Ferguson has been so impressed by Scholes in a three-man central midfield formation, most recently in the midweek 3-2 win at AC Milan, he believes the one-club man should continue for at least one more campaign with the reigning English champions.

“I’d be happy to give him a new contract,” Ferguson said Friday. “I think it all depends on what Paul thinks himself, but you saw his performance on Tuesday and I thought it was brilliant.

“I think his form in the last few weeks has been incredible, it’s been absolutely brilliant. There’s no need for him to think about retirement as some were saying some weeks ago,” the United manager added.

Scholes’s form in United’s current formation has had one added side effect. The tactic calls for the ever-impressive Wayne Rooney to operate as a solitary forward and has meant limited opportunities for club record signing Dimitar Berbatov, a situation that is unlikely to change at present according to the manager.

“It’s harder when we decide to play three centre midfield players,” said Ferguson of Berbatov’s situation. “That’s the difficultly, I think, for him because he could play in any of our teams.

“We could even have played him in Milan, there’s no doubt about that, but I think the threesome of Scholes, (Michael) Carrick and (Darren) Fletcher have created quite a consistency, a level, of performance that makes it difficult to change that, particularly in those kind of matches.

“I don’t think I have a need to talk to him. He has trained very well. Every time I have spoken to him, he understands what we are doing.”

To further add to Berbatov’s frustrations, the form of Rooney – and his durability and desire to play in every possible game – means the Bulgarian is unlikely to replace him any time in the near future.

“He’s a fit lad,”said Ferguson of Rooney,” ahead of the striker’s return to his hometown club, Everton, on Saturday when United will look to overhaul Chelsea at the top of the English Premier League table.

“He wants to play all the time anyway so it’s not a question of what you?d like to do, it’s also a question of his desire to keep playing,” the Scot said.

“I don’t see any sign of that abating in any way. He?s just very focused on playing.”