Manchester United offers Park JS 2-year contract extension

Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung will likely stay with the English Premier League champion at least until June 2014.

In a news conference in Chicago Thursday, a day before an exhibition game against the Chicago Fire of the U.S. Major League Soccer, United coach Sir Alex Ferguson said for the first time that Park has been offered an extension.

“I`m sure he`ll sign it. His career at United has been nothing but excellent, a tremendous professional. And I`m sure he`ll accept the new offer, and tie himself to the club for the next two years,” Ferguson said.

Park`s contract with United ends in June next year and had made little progress in negotiations for an extension. Rumors surfaced that he would be released or transferred to another team such as Bayern Munich, Juventus, or Inter Milan.

China’s Guangzhou Evergrande FC is also known to have offered him a yearly contract of 12 billion won (11.4 million U.S. dollars).

Park, who has said he wants to play for United until retirement, told British media Monday that he has no reason to leave the team in denying rumors about his departure. His and Ferguson’s comments have apparently ended such rumors.

Park`s extension offer and his pre-season performance are expected to increase his salary. The midfielder`s annual salary jumped from 3.1 million pounds (5.01 million U.S. dollars) to 3.6 million pounds (5.85 million dollars) when his contract was extended in 2009.

Now considered one of United’s core players, he will likely earn 4.7 million pounds (7.64 million dollars) per year.

creating@donga.com