MIKAEL Silvestre has signed a new four-year deal with Manchester United.
The 25-year-old French international has put pen to paper to dispell rumours that he was waiting to see what other offers would arise when he became free to talk to other clubs on January 1.
"Looking for another club and weighing up other possible moves after January was never in my thoughts. I feel great and happy here," he said.
Putting United first
"I read what was being said in some newspapers but I always said I wanted to stay. I am delighted I am staying on at United. I want to achieve more great things here. I want to put United back on top in England and Europe. That's why I wanted to stay to help prove to all the people who have said that United is falling down. I wanted to help show that we are not.
"The only reason negotiations have gone on a bit is that you can't get it all sorted in one appointment and with the amount of games we play you just haven't always got the time to sit round the table.
"But if we'd got to January 1 when other clubs could have spoken to me there would have been pressure from them, pressure on the club and myself and a lot of paper talk. So it was best to get it wrapped up now.
"I couldn't be happier. When you enter a final year of your contract you do get little worries about whether the club will offer you a new deal.
"I was a bit preoccupied by it. But I decided I had to forget it and focus on my football. Fortunately the club moved quickly and offered me a new deal."
Versatile
The signing of Silvestre's new contract coincides with arguably his best form at centre-half.
He moved from left back in an emergency against Basle six matches ago and, with Wes Brown, has formed a strong partnership. The Reds have kept four consecutive clean sheets.
"That was something else I read in the papers about my future - that I was considering looking at other clubs because they were going to let me play at centre half," Mikael added.
"That was never the case. I am not bothered where I play. I just want to play. I never went to the gaffer and said I want to play centre half.
"Even though things have gone well and we've won games with me at centre half I am not going to say anything if he wants me to return to left back.
"If I am asked to play at left back tonight against Chelsea in the Worthington Cup I will be just as happy as if I am chosen at centre half.
"I am delighted I have settled my future here at such a great club."
The 25-year-old French international has put pen to paper to dispell rumours that he was waiting to see what other offers would arise when he became free to talk to other clubs on January 1.
"Looking for another club and weighing up other possible moves after January was never in my thoughts. I feel great and happy here," he said.
Putting United first
"I read what was being said in some newspapers but I always said I wanted to stay. I am delighted I am staying on at United. I want to achieve more great things here. I want to put United back on top in England and Europe. That's why I wanted to stay to help prove to all the people who have said that United is falling down. I wanted to help show that we are not.
"The only reason negotiations have gone on a bit is that you can't get it all sorted in one appointment and with the amount of games we play you just haven't always got the time to sit round the table.
"But if we'd got to January 1 when other clubs could have spoken to me there would have been pressure from them, pressure on the club and myself and a lot of paper talk. So it was best to get it wrapped up now.
"I couldn't be happier. When you enter a final year of your contract you do get little worries about whether the club will offer you a new deal.
"I was a bit preoccupied by it. But I decided I had to forget it and focus on my football. Fortunately the club moved quickly and offered me a new deal."
Versatile
The signing of Silvestre's new contract coincides with arguably his best form at centre-half.
He moved from left back in an emergency against Basle six matches ago and, with Wes Brown, has formed a strong partnership. The Reds have kept four consecutive clean sheets.
"That was something else I read in the papers about my future - that I was considering looking at other clubs because they were going to let me play at centre half," Mikael added.
"That was never the case. I am not bothered where I play. I just want to play. I never went to the gaffer and said I want to play centre half.
"Even though things have gone well and we've won games with me at centre half I am not going to say anything if he wants me to return to left back.
"If I am asked to play at left back tonight against Chelsea in the Worthington Cup I will be just as happy as if I am chosen at centre half.
"I am delighted I have settled my future here at such a great club."
