Manchester United extend the contracts of four players

Manchester United have reportedly triggered the option to extend the contracts of four star players until the end of next season.

Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Ashley Young and Daley Blind were in danger of becoming free agents in the summer but deals were agreed for all four to remain at Old Trafford for an additional year, at least. According to the Telegraph report, Luke Shaw had already seen his clause invoked, meaning he too is contracted to United until June 2019. Interestingly, there has been no update on Marouane Fellaini's future after he rejected an initial offer from the club last month. The Belgian midfielder is also out of contract at the end of the current season and has been repeatedly linked with a move to Turkish side Besiktas but it's said that manager Jose Mourinho would prefer to allow Fellaini leave for nothing in summer rather than see him sold on the cheap in the January transfer window. And while the extensions to the deals of Mata, Herrera, Young, Blind and Shaw will eliminate any immediate headaches for Mourinho, the long-term futures of some remain up in the air. Young has developed from shaky makeshift full back into one of the first names on Mourinho's team sheet nowadays and Mata remains a firm fan favourite but the futures of Shaw, Herrera and Blind remain less certain.