Vidic agrees new United contract

Manchester United chief executive David Gill has revealed the club have agreed terms with defender Nemanja Vidic on a new "long-term" contract.

The Serbia centre-back's current deal is up in two years but an extension to his contract has been agreed by both parties.

Vidic has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford but he is now staying at the club.

Gill told MUTV: "I am very pleased to confirm that we agreed terms with Nemanja three or four weeks ago on a new long-term deal with the club."

Vidic's decision to stay is a huge boost for United given Rio Ferdinand's fitness problems.

While the length of the contract extension has not been disclosed, Gill believes Vidic will put pen to paper next month.

Gill said: "We sat down with Nemanja and his advisor at the end of last season and started discussions. They broke up when Nemanja went away to the World Cup, but resumed when Serbia were knocked out.

"It's yet to be signed - the paperwork is now being sorted by our lawyers and being checked by Nemanja's advisors. He's still away on holiday but the plan is that when he gets back the papers will be signed.

"We've shaken hands on it and we're confident it will all be signed and sealed in early August.

"It's great news for Manchester United and great news for Nemanja and the fans."

Gill added: "There was a lot of speculation about Nemanja's future, but in my view it's been the media drumming some old stories.

"They certainly didn't come out of the Manchester United camp and I'm confident they didn't come out of Nemanja's camp."

Source: Team Talk
Date Published: 26 July 2010

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Have your say on Vidic agrees new United contract in the United Online forum

Vidic never did want to leave now but... 1) The spin was started by the club; any transfer would be for financial reasons but they like fans to believe the player wanted out 2) Vidic has indicated he would consider leaving after his current deal, which is what promoted the club to worry he would leave on a free and start trying to shift him now

- Oli

Players traditionally did not sign contracts when they wanted to move as it priced them out the market. But, like with Ronaldo, when you are aiming to move to a top club where money really is no object, you may as well sign the contract with United as you can still move the next summer. It just means the player gets a much higher signing on fee and United profit too- plus Madrid and their fans are just delighted to get the player so the higher price (even 80m for Ronaldo) is forgotten and they are happy too. Good business by United to get him to sign this, just as they did with Ronny. It will calm the media storm for a bit and they will either keep the player or make a fortune- pros to both.

- Oli

Agree with Oli on this one personally. I've just got the vibe that Vidic doesn't exactly want to finish his career with us and would be happy to move on in the near future. From reports it seems his wife is desperate to get away from Manchester. Of course a lot could change between now and next summer, and it's great to have the man for another season at least, but I won't be surprised to see him sold next summer for a bigger fee. Whatever happens, he has been magnificent for us for the past few seasons, and having him for one more year at least is great news.

- Menace

It's a sad sign of the times that our main hope for every summer is just to keep what we have.

- jonny

I reckon he will stay now. At one point he was def off but seems to have done a U turn. Wait and see game, I hope the club offer him a new deal beyond 2012 as a test...

- Oli

Going back to the above re buying replacements, haven't we already bought the replacement in Smalling and made a tidy profit if Vidic then goes for 25m? It continues the trend of cut price bargain risk replacements rather than proven top level quality- whether it be Valencia, Owen, Tosic, Diouf or Obertan etc. Some of those may well work out (such as valencia) but overall it is not the best strategy for the "richest club in the world" hehe. The club will spin that Vidic wants to leave and we will never really know if it is true. Plenty have gone in the past with the media utterly convinced it was the player's choice, when in actual fact it was Utd cashing in. This seems to be following the same lines- Vidic says he wants to stay but stories keep coming (from sources close to United) that he is off- which says a lot to me.

- Oli

He's definitely off at the end of this season isn't he?

- Zain

If the player doesn't want to be at the club then get him out, simple as. No one is bigger than the club, the question is who comes in instead. PersonallY I would say his dip in form is linked to his lack of commitment/ being unsettled rather than injury. When a player is inevitably going to leave you have to get rid of them when the price is right. At least then there is a chance part of it might get reinvested. However, he is far from beyond the point of return and if he sees the light there is no reason he cannot get his form back and stay for many years. It is not the first time players have wanted out then been very glad to have stayed.

- Oli

You can't just go and buy another player. The best players play at the best clubs and Vidic is the best defender at the club, we don't want him at another club, because we'll get a "watered down" version. He's had a form dip, but he's also had injuries. We can't keep selling! I don't have to spell out that the backbone of the team wins everything! Vidic & Ferdinand have been a huge loss over Christmas.

- Cookster68

if he wants to go, let him - there is nothing worse than having someone at the club who doesn't want to be there. as long as we can get a good fee for him (£30 million) then we can buy in 2 players for that money.

- Shaun