Alex Ferguson's new four-year contract will be ratified by the end of the week, it emerged today.
Ferguson's legal representative spent the weekend pouring over the details of the deal - which is estimated will net the Scot £4 million sterling a year - and verbal agreement is expected within 48 hours.
Chief executive David Gill cannot sign off the contract until he has received a green light from the PLC board, which should be granted at Friday's scheduled meeting. For now, Ferguson is concentrating his energies on tomorrow night's Champions League encounter with Bundesliga leaders Stuttgart at Old Trafford.
United need a win to claim top spot in Group E and avoid the likes of Juventus and Real Madrid in the first knock-out stage next year. The Red Devils chief is believed to be toying with the idea of resting Tim Howard and offering Roy Carroll a rare European start.
Paul Scholes is also likely to be involved after his comeback from groin surgery against Aston Villa at the weekend.
Rio Ferdinand is set to argue that he was denied an opportunity to take a drugs test when he launches his defence against an FA misconduct charge in Bolton next week.
It has emerged that Ferdinand contacted Manchester United officials 90 minutes after he was due to take the test on September 23rd following a series of frantic calls from the club's Carrington training ground when it became apparent the England man had failed to turn up as planned.
Doping controllers were still at Carrington at that time but it is reported they told Ferdinand he could not return to take the test. Both United and UK Sport , who carry out the FA's drugs testing programme, have refused to discuss Ferdinand's situation, but it is understood the phone call - and the fact the testers were still at Carrington when it was made - will be a major part of the defender's defence.
And, if the allegations are proved to be true, it would undermine the case against the central defender. FA executive director David Davies has already admitted the organisation's regulations are inadequate to deal with a failure to take a drugs test, and the latest revelations may enhance Ferdinand's chances of avoiding suspension.