Martin Edwards has revealed Manchester United will launch new talks with Roy Keane over his future before the New Year.
United will make one last bid to solve Keane's contract dilemma before the January 1st deadline, after which he can talk to any of the European giants about his future.
The United chief executive was talking after the club's a.g.m. yesterday when the future of the club's captain and their manager was uppermost in supporters' minds.
Keane is out of contract in the summer and can then walk away from Old Trafford under the Bosman ruling for nothing.
And, on January 1st, under the terms of his contract, he is able to talk to any club about his future.
United clearly want to avoid the mega-bucks auction that would inspire. But Edwards confirmed that manager Alex Ferguson will have new talks with Keane in the next few weeks to try to sort out the midfielder's future before he becomes open season for the rest of Europe.
Edwards said: "Sir Alex is going to have another chat with Roy. We would obviously like to put it to bed, but Roy has said that he doesn't want to do it until the end of the season."
Keane is reputed to want around £40,000-a-week to sign a new contract. Shareholders expressed concern at the possibility that the club could lose its driving inspiration, and, earlier in the meeting, PLC chairman Sir Roland Smith made it clear that Keane's future was uppermost in the board's mind.
Meanwhile, Juventus last night denied they were planning to sign United captain Keane when club vice-president Roberto Bettega responded to a newspaper report that a deal had been agreed. Edwards was also criticised over claims that there is a rift between himself and Ferguson, and that he was not sure about offering the United boss a seat on the board when his own contract ends in 2002.
Edwards said: "Alex and I have a good working relationship. He has two-and-a-half years of his contract to run and all I have said is that in that time things might change, he may not want it.
Meanwhile, Paul Scholes will probably have his hernia operation next month after United's second Champions League game against Valencia.
