Keane to stay at United if price right

Roy Keane wants to stay at Manchester United despite growing interest in him from top clubs in Europe. Lazio are reportedly ready with a Stg£20 million offer, while Juventus are also said to be keen on United's captain.

But Keane's agent Mike Kennedy claims the Republic of Ireland midfielder wants to sign a new contract with the Treble winners. Kennedy has just begun meaningful talks with United's paymasters about a new agreement after Keane had put off negotiations until the end of the season.

While Keane wants to agree to new terms with United, Kennedy hinted the player would not sell himself short. Keane (27) knows how he could cash in next summer when his current deal expires - by leaving on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling. He wants his new contract to reflect his worth.

Kennedy said: "Negotiations with Manchester United have commenced in a constructive manner.

"It's Roy's wish to stay with United if at all possible.

"We are at an early stage, and there's a long way to go.

"It would be inappropriate to conduct these negotiations in the public arena, and they will remain confidential between the club and myself.

"We all look forward to hopefully a fruitful conclusion."

United's manager Alex Ferguson is determined to hold on to Keane, who has repaid every penny, and more, of the Stg£3.75 million he paid Nottingham Forest for him six years ago.

Kennedy refused to put a time scale on the negotiations, but they will be stepped up next week when Ferguson and United chairman Martin Edwards return from holiday.

Meanwhile, former England soccer coach Glenn Hoddle is poised to return to the game as manager of Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.

Hoddle's manager Dennis Roche told BBC's Five Live yesterday that Sporting Lisbon's club president Jose Roquette had approached Hoddle. Roche said he would discuss terms with the Portuguese club in Lisbon last night.

Roquette was reported in the British press to have offered the former England coach a two-year contract worth Stg£600,000, as well as a budget of Stg£20 million pounds to recruit new players.

"He (Hoddle) is a man with the experience we want. We want to bring in a good manager whose teams play the football that we want at this club. He has a great football reputation," Roquette told the Daily Mirror yesterday. Hoddle (41) was sacked as England coach in February after an interview in which he claimed disabled people were paying for their sins in an earlier life.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and England midfielder had coached the national side for two and a half years before being sacked.

If Hoddle signs terms with Sporting Lisbon, he would follow in the footsteps of fellow Britons Bobby Robson, John Toshack, Keith Burkinshaw and Malcolm Allison as coach of the Portuguese club.