Hargreaves to leave United

Owen Hargreaves will not be offered a new contract with Manchester United, bringing a close to his injury-ravaged Old Trafford career.

Hargreaves, 30, joined United in 2007 from Bundesliga side Bayern Munich for a reported fee of 17 million pounds.

But a continual battle against patellar tendinitis has restricted the defensive midfielder to just 34 starts in four years at the club.

He finally started a match against Wolves in November, but was forced off after just nine minutes with a hamstring injury.

And despite giving him every chance to recover, United manager Ferguson has now decided to cut his losses on the 42-cap England international.

“This has been a difficult decision knowing how hard the lad has worked to win back his fitness,” Ferguson told the Mail on Sunday.

“But we have made it in the hope he will be able to resurrect his career elsewhere.”