Liverpool and United join the race for Kezman

Manchester United and Liverpool are among the clubs interested in the PSV Eindhoven striker Mateja Kezman, according to the club's technical manager.

Frank Arnesen has confirmed there is a good chance the Serbia-Montenegro international will leave the Dutch side during January's transfer window.

Kezman - who scored four goals in yesterday's 7-0 demolition of Volendam - was signed as Ruud van Nistelrooy's replacement before the Manchester United striker's knee injury stalled his move to Old Trafford. And, although PSV are reluctant to see him leave, they accept it might be time for the 24-year-old to move on: "Not only Manchester United and Liverpool, but also four to five other clubs are interested," Arnesen said.

"If the money is good enough and if Kezman is happy with the club interested, it is very possible that he could leave [in January]. We do not want to stand in his way, he has done so much for PSV over the past four years, and he has said that he would like to climb up the ladder a bit."

Kezman's new agent, Chiel Dekker, had discussions with Barcelona last week while the player admitted he was looking for a move: "I know that I am ready for the step. You have seen what has happened to Ruud van Nistelrooy," Kezman said. "At a certain point you need to do that as a player."

Meanwhile, the Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, says he has reached agreement with the club on a new contract and expects to sign the deal "very soon".

"My contract is with my lawyer now. He was at the Villa game [on Saturday] and we will now go through it together," Ferguson said. "It is all straightforward from this point because an agreement has been reached with the club on every single detail.

"I am very close to signing it. It will all be done and dusted very soon," added Ferguson, 61, who underwent hospital treatment for an irregular heartbeat on Thursday.

The Scotsman said the heart problem was detected at a regular check-up about two months ago: "I could have either taken aspirin for the rest of my life or go into hospital for treatment that brings the heartbeat back on track. I said: 'let's go for it', because I knew that if it didn't work it carried no risk."

Despite the health scare, Ferguson returned to work almost immediately and presided over Manchester United's comfortable 4-0 home win over Aston Villa.