Premiership: Irwin signs contract extension to stay with United

Irishman Denis Irwin has opted to sign a one-year extension to his contract with Manchester United that will see him play for the Red Devils for the 2001-2002 season.

Irwin is the clubs longest servant and one of its most decorated ever players, he was a member of the 1999 treble winning team.

However, United’s failure to offer him more then a one-year long contract had raised speculation that he would move to another club to seek some long-term security.

Leicester City, Newcastle United, Coventry and Watford had all expressed interest in signing the 35-year-old former Irish international on a free contract.

Irwin joined the Manchester club from Oldham in 1990 and he has been one of Alex Ferguson’s most loyal servants.

It was believed that he was angered by the clubs failure to offer him a two-year contract.

His decision to stay on will come as another timely boost to the club who has recently given new contracts to Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt and are on the verge of signing Juan Sebastian Veron from Lazio in a deal worth over Stg£20m.