Scholes extends United contract

Paul Scholes has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United which will keep him at Old Trafford until June 2009. The 30-year-old decided to extend the deal even though his existing contract still had two years to run. "He has given us 16...

Paul Scholes has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United which will keep him at Old Trafford until June 2009.

The 30-year-old decided to extend the deal even though his existing contract still had two years to run.

"He has given us 16 great years of service and we are hoping his next four years are as good as his last four years," Alex Ferguson said.

Scholes has made 321 premier league appearances for United, scoring 87 times, since coming through the club's youth team to make his debut in the 1994-95 season and has helped the club win six leagues and three FA Cups.

He was also capped 66 times by England, scoring 14 goals, before retiring from international soccer following Euro 2004.

United have secured the future of Scholes after defender Rio Ferdinand ended protracted contract talks by also signing a new four-year deal.

"It's absolutely brilliant. There was a lot of nonsense written about his (Ferdinand's) demands, which were million miles apart from what we were actually negotiating," said Ferguson.

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