Silvestre holds out for true worth at United

Mikael Silvestre's future at Manchester United hangs in the balance after the club's left-back admitted that he was still no closer to signing a contract extension.

The Frenchman's current deal runs out at the end of the season, leaving him free to discuss a potential move away from Old Trafford with any club after 1 January, 2003. Although there is no suggestion that the player wants to leave the club, the fact remains that the longer the arguments go on, the more likely he is to be tempted away.

"I love Man U and their fans," Silvestre said ahead of France's Euro 2004 qualifier against Slovenia last night. "I want to stay at the club, but I need to be given a deal that mirrors my status as a regular team member, and a fully-fledged international."

The Manchester United wage structure is notoriously strict, and only a small handful of players are in the higher bracket. "Don't get me wrong," Silvestre insisted, "I'm not asking for silly money. I know I can't command the same wages as the likes of David Beckham or Juan Veron, but I do know what I'm worth and deserve."

Silvestre says that the deal does not hinge on his moving from left-back to the centre of defence. "I was keen on the positional change a while ago, but I'm very happy with the way things are now," the 25-year-old said. "I accept that as long as Sir Alex Ferguson is the manager I will play on the left of the defence, and that is absolutely fine by me. I am playing for the greatest club in the world, so I can hardly complain."

Although the Frenchman is obviously keen to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, he is also acutely aware that the longer the negotiations drag on, the stronger his bargaining position will be. "I am a free agent in nine months time," he says, "and I will probably have a number of interesting offers once the transfer window re-opens. I guess that puts more emphasis on the club's board to make a reasonable proposition. I hope we find an agreement soon."