News: Ruud van Nistelrooy has signed a contract which will keep him at Manchester United until June 30th, 2008, the club said yesterday.

No financial details were immediately available for the deal, but reports suggest the 27-year-old's new deal will earn him up to £90,000 a week, putting him on one of the league's highest salaries.

The news follows manager Alex Ferguson's agreement on Wednesday to sign a new, one-year rolling contract from June 2005.

Van Nistelrooy joined the English champions for £19 million in 2001 and has scored 98 times in 127 appearances for the club.

"It shows the ambition of the club to keep the best. Ruud has broken every record since he has been here," Ferguson said in a statement on United's website.

"His improvement and continual commitment to the club is an asset. Ruud has proved to be a fantastic signing and his contract extension is great news for the club and the fans."

United have been looking to increase their firepower to keep pace with league leaders Arsenal, who have just splashed out up to £20 million on Spanish international forward Jose Antonio Reyes.

United bought French striker Louis Saha from Fulham last week for £12.8 million.

Dutch international van Nistelrooy eventually joined United from PSV Eindhoven for a then English transfer record in April 2001, after a first attempt to buy him a year earlier broke down when he failed a medical.

Days later, back in training at PSV, he collapsed after rupturing his cruciate ligament in his right knee and missed the European Championship, jointly hosted by his home nation, in June that year.

His disappointment was tempered when United came back for him and he said at the time the move was "a dream come true".

He said yesterday: "I have had some great moments here but I want to continue to give the club my best, and I am looking forward to new challenges on the pitch."

Van Nistelrooy has won the English championship twice, in the 2000-2001 and 2002-2003 seasons, and was the premier league's top scorer last season with 25 goals. He has scored 14 league goals this season.

He was also top scorer in the Champions League in the 2001-2002 season with 10 goals and last season with 12 goals.

There was more good news for the club yesterday with the announcement that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to make his long-awaited return from knee surgery in a reserve-team outing against Aston Villa next week.

The 30-year-old Norwegian has not played for Manchester United since September and there had been suggestions he would miss the remainder of the campaign.

However, after being given a week off, Solskjaer has been back in full training for a fortnight and should turn out for their second string at Altrincham next Thursday.

Meanwhile, Manchester United chief executive David Gill has vowed that the internal review into the Old Trafford outfit's recent transfers will be concluded as soon as possible.

Gill announced on Monday that finance director Nick Humby would lead the in-house investigation, seen as a concession to major shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus, who had demanded an independent audit to establish why the club were paying vast sums to agents involved in the transfers of players.

Although sources here in Ireland indicated the response will not be enough to deflect Magnier and McManus from their aim, Gill is hoping a speedy conclusion to the review may help appease the duo, who, through their Cubic Expression Company, own over 25 per cent of the club.

"It is important to note that we will work closely with our key shareholders on addressing some of the issues," Gill told BBC Radio Five Live.

"We announced on Monday that there would be an investigation into some of our recent transfers. We will do that appropriately and as quickly as possible."

He also hinted that Magnier will have a supreme fight on his hands should he decide to attempt to oust Ferguson. "The top managers across Europe are few and far between and Sir Alex is one of them," he said. "We have won many trophies over the 17 years he has been with us.

"The fact he has decided to stay on is great news for the fans and the shareholders and everyone connected with Manchester United."