Paul Scholes and Ryan Shawcross: future team-mates? Photograph:
Martin Rickett/PA
Manchester United want to re-sign
Stoke City defensive wardrobe Ryan Shawcross, who left Old
Trafford three years ago. A clause in his contract says United can
have first dibs on him if they match whatever anyone else is
willing to pay, particularly if it's a knock-your-baseball-cap-off
£45m-plus-Kolo-Toure-and-35-other-fringe-South-Americans offer from
Manchester City. Liverpool are also interested.
Oddly peripheral never-quite-was Wes Brown says he might
be on his way out of Manchester United, but he's not
getting depressed about it. "I'm not getting any younger now and
every game I do play, I just try to enjoy and do my best for the
team," he said in a droney Leonard Cohen voice, picking listlessly
at a detuned acoustic guitar.
Roy Keane's house is for sale for £9m. "Life's too short and you
shouldn't be tied to a house," he said yesterday, managing to find
even houses, and people who own them, weak and despicable.