Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to activate a clause in Dimitar Berbatov’s contract that will keep the striker at Old Trafford for another 12 months.

 

Had the English champions not been willing to extend Berbatov’s deal then the 30-year-old would have been a free agent next summer.

 

Interest around Berbatov was already growing, with Paris Saint-Germain pondering rekindling their summer move for the striker, Anzhi Makhachkala keeping tabs on developments and the player’s former side Bayer Leverkusen expressing their desire to offer a potential destination.

 

But Manchester United will be protecting their investment by keeping Berbatov under lock and key for another 12 months.

 

"We’ll be exercising", said Ferguson when asked about whether the Red Devils would activate their clause.

 

"I think it kicks in in March", added the Scot.

 

Berbatov has returned to the first team with a goalscoring touch of late, with a goal against Fulham and a hat-trick in the 5-0 thrashing of Wigan.

 

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