THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANCHESTER, England — Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wes Brown have agreed to new contracts with Manchester United.
“It’s good that the squad is staying together,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said Friday.
United, which leads the Premier League by two points, has not announced the details and length of the contracts.
The agreements could help bolster morale heading into the end of the season as United tries to win a second straight Premier League title and progress past FC Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals.
It also helps Ferguson plan which players to sign in the off-season.
The 29-year-old Ferdinand, who has captained his club and country on occasion this season, has been reported to have agreed to a five-year contract to replace the one year left on his present agreement.
Brown had been linked to clubs including Tottenham and Newcastle, whom he could have joined on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of this season, but will now stay to compete for a place at right back or in central defence.
“There’s no other club for Wes Brown,” Ferguson said. “He’s a Manchester United player. We were always quietly confident he would sign.”
Midfielder Carrick had two years left on his contract after joining from Tottenham two years ago.