Manchester United boss
Sir Alex Ferguson is serious
about bringing Stoke City
defender Ryan Shawcross back to Old Trafford.
The Times says United's defensive injury crisis has
Ferguson pondering whether to sign another defender to provide
increased cover for Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. He has
identified Shawcross, the Stoke
City defender, as a possible solution.
Shawcross, 21, began his career with United, graduating from the
club’s youth academy, before leaving Old Trafford for Stoke in an
initial £1 million deal in January 2008. Ferguson watched the
youngster play and score for Stoke against Burnley on Saturday
afternoon, although the prime reason for his visit was to watch
Owen Coyle’s team.
Stoke would be reluctant to sell Shawcross, whose value to them
has increased with the number of goals he has scored from
set-pieces, but United insisted on a buy-back clause in the deal
that took him to the Britannia Stadium.