Manchester United hinted yesterday that no extra inducements will be held out for Roy Keane to stay at the club before he makes a decision on his future within the next few days.
Keane's agent Michael Kennedy said that the player has asked for more time to make make up his mind if he is ready to accept the offer of a new five-year deal, said to be worth £32,000 a week.
Even as the Irishman considered his options, however, the club was dampening down speculation that they are prepared to move closer to the figure of £40,000 a week which is being sought by the player.
Explaining that negotiations had to be conducted within specified parameters, an official at Old Trafford said there was little room left for manoeuvre in the protracted talks.
Earlier Juventus confirmed that they had checked out Keane's position through his agent and got the impression that the player wanted to stay with Manchester United.
Luciano Moggi, general manager of the Turin club, said he had spoken to Kennedy with a view to ascertaining if Keane wanted to move to Italy, either now or at the end of the season when his contract at Old Trafford expires.
"We are entitled to know how things stand for it denies our rivals an advantage in the transfer market," he said. "But I got the impression that he will renew his contract with United and that's the end of it as far as I'm concerned."
Denis Irwin, United's vice-captain, said that the first team squad was unanimous in wanting Keane to stay but conceded that they were mere onlookers to the saga.
"He's such a big player for the club that he'd be impossible to replace but at the end of the day, he must make the decision which he believes to be in his best interests," he said.
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