Stoke defender Shawcross left Old Trafford at the start of 2008
in a £1million deal.
But Ferguson has monitored his progress and nearly re-signed the
21-year-old defender during the summer.
Now, the Old Trafford boss will have to decide whether to move
for Shawcross in the January window or wait until the end of the
season.
And if misgivings about the performances of Ferdinand and
Nemanja Vidic continue, Ferguson could be tempted to act sooner
rather than later.
Shawcross would be eligible to feature in the Champions League
knockout stages.
When Ferguson sold Shawcross, he insisted on a clause that means
Stoke must give United first option on the player. A host of big
clubs - including Liverpool - have shown a major interest in
Shawcross, who is not without a chance of being called up for
England's friendly against Brazil in Doha.
Should one of those clubs make a bid that Stoke find too hard to
resist, United must be given the chance to match it.
Otherwise, Ferguson will have to make his own bid. It would be
in the region of £8m - a figure that seems low but takes into
account the significant sell-on clause that United also put in the
original Shawcross deal.
Ferguson is sure to address the issues at the centre of his
defence, and Shawcross has established himself as one of the
Premier League's most reliable performers.
The feeling at Stoke is that it's not a matter of if Shawcross
rejoins United . . . it's when.
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