Manchester United offer Fergie 7.5m-Pounds-a-year deal

Manchester: Manchester United are in talks with Sir Alex Ferguson to reward the most successful manager of the modern era with a pay hike that will make him the highest paid boss in Premier League history, Goal.com can reveal.

Sir Alex has been offered a 6.5 million-Pounds-a-year basic contract supplemented by up to 1m pounds worth of bonuses for a trophy clean sweep.

His deal will remain on the same one-year rolling terms that he first committed himself to in 2004 but the new offer represents a 60 per cent pay hike on his current 4m-Pounds-a-year contract rising to 5m pounds. The structure of the 1m Pounds top-up bonuses would remain unaffected by the new agreement.

United want the most successful manager in their history to formally accept the offer by the summer.

Sir Alex's pay hike will leapfrog him above Arsene Wenger to become the best paid manager in the Premier League and will be worth more than the 6.5m-Pounds-a-year salary that Carlo Ancelotti earned at Chelsea.

The Scot was told by United chief executive David Gill last October that the Glazer family wanted to recognise his phenomenal achievements, which have included a Champions League crown and four Premier League titles since the Americans took full control of the club.

At the time the Glazers were in the dark about the United manager's long-term plans but since making the offer to Sir Alex's camp, he has come out publicly and said that he hopes to have three more years in charge.

"All the talk at the top of the club over the last few months has been of a three-year plan," a United source told Goal.com. "The Glazers were not sure of Ferguson's plans so asked David Gill to tell him that his achievements over all these years would be recognised with a deal that would make him the best paid manager in British football.

"There have been a few rounds of talks and the club want it sorted before his annual holiday to the south of France at the end of the season.

"It makes good business sense for the club and the Glazers. Ferguson has always been loyal to them and they feel it is time he was rewarded for the job he has done."

It is understood that neither party feels the need to adjust the length of his one-year rolling deal, which means that Sir Alex is only entitled to 12 months’ severance pay and, in theory, gives United little long-term security.

But the most successful manager in the history of British football, who celebrated a quarter of a century in charge at Old Trafford last November, has confirmed his intention to remain in the job well into his 70s.

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