Man Utd keeper Edwin van der Sar

Edwin van der Sar is expected to sign a new one-year contact with Manchester United next week, worth around £5million, that will delay by at least 12 months any need for the club to find a successor.

Sir Alex Ferguson's scouts have been busily assessing suitable goalkeepers over the past year, planning for the day when the 39-year-old retires.

Schalke's Manuel Neuer has so far been the pick of the crop but his club price him at £15m, which would be too big a chunk of United's reduced transfer budget.

But the improved circumstances of Van der Sar's wife, Annemarie van Kesteren, who collapsed with a suspected stroke over Christmas, means the Dutch goalkeeper will now be able to commit to another year.

It is likely to be Van der Sar's last playing contract with United, though it does buy them some time to sort out the problematic succession.

Ben Foster will be sold in the summer, with Sunderland the probable buyers, while Tomasz Kuszczak is likely to remain the reserve keeper.