SHAWCROSS SET TO STAY WITH STOKE

RYAN SHAWCROSS will commit his long-term future to Stoke by signing a new four-year contract.

The Potters central defender has been watched by former club Manchester United as well as Liverpool.

But Shawcross is opting to stay put at the Britannia Stadium and has agreed a £25,000-a-week deal.

It will end speculation that the England Under-21 central defender will move to a top-four team in the January transfer window.

Shawcross will sign an extension to his existing contract within the next few weeks.

The 22-year-old has already told Stoke that the deal will go through and it will come as a huge relief to manager Tony Pulis.

The Stoke chief feared he would lose the club's best player to one of the big boys.

Rugged

United still have first option to re-sign the defender for a fixed fee of £5million as part of a move to ward off interest from Premier League rivals.

Liverpool were among a number of other clubs keen on the rugged centre-half.

But he can only leave Stoke if United pass up the option to re-sign him.

Shawcross initially moved to the Britannia Stadium on loan from Old Trafford.

But the Stoke switch was made permanent with a £1million deal in January 2008.

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