Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed promising goalkeeper Ben
Foster will return to Manchester United in the summer after
spending a second year at Watford. Although the 23-year-old
actually signed for the Old Trafford outfit 18 months ago, he has
yet to make a senior appearance for United, having been sent to
Vicarage Road by Ferguson in an attempt to further his
experience.
Foster has already played his way into the England squad, with
Ferguson certain he will eventually gain full international
honours. And, despite handing veteran Edwin Van der Sar a one-year
contract extension and spending £4million on the Dutchman's current
deputy, Tomasz Kuszczak, Ferguson will welcome Foster back into the
United fold once the current campaign is over.
"Without question, Ben will come back here," said Ferguson. "All we
have done in terms of the goalkeeping situation is identify really
good talent and secure their future. "We know Ben has a good future
in the game. He is doing well at Watford and, at his age, has
everything in front of him, because I believe him to be England's
best young goalkeeper."
Premier League loan rules prevent Foster from facing United at Old
Trafford on Wednesday, when Ferguson's men will look to halt the
Hornets' current two-match winning streak. However, while Ferguson
will be denied the chance to see Foster in the flesh, he has been
given a full analysis of the keeper's time at Watford by
counterpart Adrian Boothroyd, who has impressed the United boss
with the thoroughness of his background information.
"I get a fantastic monthly report from Aidy Boothroyd, which
contains all the detail about how he trains, how he is as a
professional and how he is developing," revealed Ferguson. "It is
first-class professionalism from Aidy Boothroyd to take the time to
go through all the games he plays in that month."
