Sir Alex Ferguson at double to fire Manchester United's midfield

Paul Scholes will continue his stellar Old Trafford career, while (inset) Shinji Kagawa is poised to join him

United have been given a double midfield boost with Paul Scholes signing a new 12-month deal and the imminent arrival of Borussia Dortmunds Shinji Kagawa.

Veteran Scholes lifted the Reds in mid-season when he made his retirement U-turn.

And after Sir Alex Ferguson announced at the end of the campaign the 37-year-old was staying on for another season, the club have now confirmed he has signed the contract.

The United manager has admitted the 2012-13 campaign will be Scholes last.

But the re-signing of the highly-decorated playmaker will also give Ferguson insurance as he seeks to import Scholes ultimate successor.

He has fit-again 22-year-old Tom Cleverley raring to go but Kagawa is also in line to beef up the engine room after the Reds missed out to Chelsea for the signing of Lilles Eden Hazard.

Arrangement

Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has revealed that some details of the switch to Old Trafford for the 23-year-old have yet to be confirmed, but it appears the two clubs have settled on a fee.

The arrangement is expected to be a down payment of around 15m, rising to 20m with possible add-ons.

Kagawa has yet to agree his personal terms with United but the goalscoring midfielder understood not to be motivated by money would earn a salary that will dwarf his modest Dortmund pay packet.

Kagawa, who scored 13 goals from midfield in 31 Bundesliga matches during Dortmunds title success, is currently away on international duty with Japan.

He will feature in two World Cup qualifiers for his country in Saitama against Oman on Sunda! y and Jo rdan on June 8.

The Old Trafford deal is expected to be concluded when his season finally ends.

Confirmation of Scholes deal comes almost a year to the day since he announced his retirement.
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He moved into a role with Uniteds coaching team but, after reversing his decision to retire, made his comeback in Uniteds FA Cup third round derby victory over City at the Etihad Stadium on January 8.

He went on to make 16 Premier League appearances in the second half of the season, scoring four goals, giving rise to speculation he could end his international
exile and force his way into Roy Hodgsons Euro 2012 squad. That Scholes did not return to the international fold will come as a relief to Ferguson.

I am delighted, Ferguson said. He knew he had made a mistake.

He now realises if he plays 25 or 30 games next season, they will be of real quality.

I think this will be Pauls last season.

We know him very well. We have had him since he was a kid. We know how to use him.

Meanwhile, United have also announced that goalkeeper Ben Amos has signed a new three-year contract at the club.

The Macclesfield-born 22-year-old is third in the pecking order at Old Trafford behind David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard. He had 16 matches on loan at Oldham last season.

United w! ill toda y announce a commercial tie-up with General Motors and their brand Chevrolet in Shanghai.

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