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Sir Alex Ferguson is planning to offer another year for Edwin van Der Sar after he has impressed him massively. Fergie will sit down with Manchester United’s Dutch keeper after Christmas to discuss keeping him on.

Van der Sar, 40, is set to quit after the current campaign but Man United boss Fergie is keen to put his wealth of experience to good use.

It is believed the stopper’s wife Annemarie, who suffered a brain haemorrhage more than a year ago, would like to move back to Holland. Ben Foster has moved on so it looks like United will need to sign someone new.

United would prefer to hand it in Edwin Van der Sar a coaching role – but not affecting goalkeeping coach Eric Steele’s position – although a key scouting and ambassadorial position is likelier.

Edwin van Der Sar could retire at the end of the season and Manchester United are already preparing contingency plans. The 40-year-old, whose deal runs out at the end of the season, is yet to begin talks over extending his current football contract.

Edwin van Der Sar was granted a two-month leave midway through last season as his wife was serious ill. She has since recovered but needs treatment in the Netherlands, which is believed to be a key reason behind the goalkeeper’s expected departure.

Thomas Kuszczak has said that he wants to replace Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van Der Sar when he retires. Kuszczak has claimed to be the right man to replace the veteran goalkeeper, playing down rumours of a move away from Old Trafford in the January transfer window. He had previously stated that he would prefer to be sold to another club if he did not get opportunities to play regular first team football.

Speaking on his future at the club, Kuszczak said, “There has been all this speculation about my future but I am hopeful I can play more. There has always been competition for this club and there always will be. This is how football works. I intend to do well all the time when I get a chance to play. That is what would give me a future at United.”

Kuszczak has got a rare chance to prove his worth in the wake of Van der Sar’s absence due to a flu virus, and the Poland international says he is determined to make the most of his temporary place in the starting eleven. He said, “Every game is massive for me. I want to show that I can take over from Edwin. For us young players, we have to be ready. When we play, we must play very well.”

Goalkeeper Dorus de Vries has said that he would like to follow Edwin Van Der Sar. The Manchester United veteran plans to call time on his illustrious career at the end of the current season, after more than 20 years at the top with Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and United.

“I like Edwin van der Sar a lot,” admitted de Vries. “He’s 40, but still at the top of the game.“And you look at some like David James, he’s still going at 40.

“Guys like van der Sar, James and Brad Friedel have all been able to keep going at the top level well into their careers.

“They have barely missed any games because mentally and physically they are very strong.”

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van Der Sar is set to reject Manchester United’s coaching role. The 40-year-old looks set to hang up his gloves at the end of the season but United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has offered the former Dutch international the role of goalkeeping coach.

However, Edwin Van der Sar is looking to take a break from the game after retirement.

“I will hopefully not start coaching too quickly,” he told The Sun.

“I will try to have 18 months or two years for myself – and I’ve a family to do nice things with, too.”

Edwin van Der Sar has said that he wants to retire at the top of his game and that is the major reason for his recent retirement announcement. “We are trying to persuade him to stay on, too,” Wayne Rooney said after the beginning of what promises to be a concerted campaign from the Old Trafford crowd.

“I was speaking to him in the shower about it. It’s his decision and we’ve got to respect that but he’s such a great goalkeeper and, for me, still the best in the world, despite his age.”

The supporters articulated it with long, impassioned chants of “one more year”. There were follow-up cries of “Fergie, sign him up” and one wonderful moment, during a break in play in the second half, when the stadium rose to acclaim the man whose flawless goalkeeping had put United on their way towards an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. Van der Sar looked around him, lifted his hands above his head and nodded appreciatively. He looked genuinely moved.

Yet Van der Sar is also at a point of his life where he seems totally comfortable in his own skin. “I don’t hate the idea of retirement,” he said. “I am looking forward to it. I am at my peak and I think it will be nice to finish at my peak.”

New Manchester United signing David De Gea has said that he is confident of emulating Edwin van Der Sar’s success. Atletico Madrid stopper De Gea has been lined up as his replacement, with an £18 million transfer set to be finalised when the 20-year-old returns from the European Under-21 Championships in Denmark.

‘I like the fact that they are considering me as a replacement for a goalkeeper of Edwin van der Sar’s calibre,’ said De Gea.

He added that he knows he has a lot to do to live up to the Dutchman’s standard.

Tomas Kuszczak replaced Edwin van der Sar for the match against West Ham, which is crucial for Manchester United in the title race.

The Red Devils have also opted to play Wayne Rooney up front on his own with Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez both on the bench.

West Ham are unchanged from the draw with Tottenham before the international break with Scott Parker passed fit to start after he was a doubt with shoulder and calf injuries.

The league leaders will be aiming to avoid a re-occurrence of their last visit to Upton Park when they were comprehensively beaten 4-0 in the quarter-final of the League Cup.