Manchester United skipper Roy Keane could miss the start of the season because of his troublesome ankle.

Keane has already pulled out of United's pre-season tour to Australia and China and will be sidelined for two weeks because of the recurrence of the injury he suffered in the FA Cup final.

He is due to resume training just days before the Charity Shield and he is doubtful for the Wembley showpiece against Arsenal on August 1st.

He will then have a week before the start of the Premiership campaign at Everton on August 8th.

Manager Alex Ferguson said: "Roy had trained for a full week after returning from the summer break, but then he began feeling twinges in his ankle."

Keane is not having the best of summers and on top of his injury, he has still to agree a new contract with the Old Trafford outfit.

Keane's lawyer and adviser, Michael Kennedy, claims both sides are still some way off reaching agreement despite weeks of negotiations.

However, Ferguson is still adamant that the midfielder will commit his future to the Treble winners.

Meanwhile, Liverpool believe their partnership with Granada will help make them one of the best clubs in Europe again.

The North West-based media group has paid Liverpool £22 million for 3,482 new shares in the club, which gives them a 9.9 per cent stake.

The vast majority of that sum will be spent on new players and £2million has been earmarked for the club's football academy.

In return for their £22 million, Granada will have a seat on the Anfield board and will manage a wide range of commercial issues for the Merseysiders.

They will act as Liverpool's agent in the areas of: merchandising and product licensing; publishing; electronic media rights; catering and hospitality.

Granada will be behind any future club television channel. Parry stressed the club remains independent and that chairman David Moores has not sold any of his shares.