Manchester United Transfer News: Nemanja Vidic Wants to Stay, Says Mateja Kezman

Initial fears over Nemanja Vidic's future as a Manchester United player have been calmed by the defender's former international teammate, Mateja Kezman.

The 34-year-old spoke in response to Vidic's agent, who recently said the veteran will not be renewing his contract at Old Trafford, which is due to expire at the end of the season.

Eurosport's dedicated transfer account quotes Kezman:

The former Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain forward appeared on talkSPORT's Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast Show (via talkSPORT's Nick Rostron-Pike) this week, where he added his two cents to the debate:

"

I spoke to him (Vidic) a few months ago and he said then that he was waiting to see what will happen with his contract. I would give him a new contract. It’s true he’s not the player he was a few years ago, he’s a bit injury-prone, but he’s still a leader. Man United need him in the dressing room, around the young players.

He’s not unhappy. He’s been there for years and would like to stay for another season. He loves the club, the city, the fans, everybody. I’m sure he will do his best to stay at United if they offer him a contract.

"

Kezman spent four years playing alongside Vidic in the Serbian national team before ending his international tenure in 2006, retiring from the sport altogether in 2011.

Ben Radford/Getty Images

Vidic's agent, Silvano Martina, appeared on Naples' Radio CRC (h/t ESPN FC's Ben Gladwell) and spoke of the options that his client faces at the end of this term: 

"

Manchester United have already offered him an extension and there are lots of clubs approaching him, but he wants to finish the season at Manchester United -- and then we'll see.

He's a very big player and he'll not have any problems finding a new club. For the moment, we're remaining calm because the situation could change from one moment to the next. However, at the moment, I feel I can rule out him signing an extension with the Red Devils.

"

It's a worrying prospect for David Moyes, who also has Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs coming to the end of their deals this summer.

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United have already lost the figures of Paul Scholes and Gary Neville in recent years, and this summer could be the latest twist in the ongoing state of transition at Old Trafford.

Despite all speculation regarding his options this summer, though, Vidic remains committed to Moyes' team.

Per The Guardian's Jamie Jackson:

Vidic has started in 14 of the Red Devils' 21 Premier League matches so far this season, per Transfermarkt, with playing time at centre-back spread between as many as five defenders.

At 32 years of age, the stalwart isn't getting any younger. However, as Kezman suggests, he still brings some value to the first-team lineup and is worthy of an extension.

Martina wouldn't be the first agent to hint at the threat of leaving in order to get his player a more promising deal, and United could find that any doubts in Vidic's loyalty to the Red Devils' cause are short lived.