Giggs set to stay at Old Trafford

Ryan Giggs and Tim Howard have both signed two-year contract extensions with Manchester United.

The news comes just six days before the FA Cup final meeting with Arsenal and for Giggs in particular brings to an end a long-running saga which looked at one stage as though he was going to leave the club.

United chief executive David Gill had suggested he was unwilling to bend on club policy of not offering over 30s any more than a one-year deal but as now relented, allowing Giggs to stay on until 2008. Howard’s contract will now expire in the summer of 2009.

Giggs has continually stressed his desire to stay at Old Trafford and now the 31-year-old has got his wish, it appears likely this contract will allow the Welsh captain to finish his playing days at his only professional club.

“I am quite confident I will finish my career at United,” he told the official Manchester United magazine.

“I have made no secret that I am enjoying life here and there is nowhere else I would want to go. At the moment I am just concentrating on playing well. Hopefully the end is a long way off.”