Ben Foster is understood to have agreed a new four-year contract at Manchester United after being offered an improved long-term deal.

The 25-year-old has been been badly hampered by injury problems in recent seasons, but is still seen by Sir Alex Ferguson as the successor to Edwin van der Sar.

Foster, who is targeting a place in the England squad for next year's World Cup in South Africa, proved his quality during his loan spell at Watford and in patches with United and is happy to commit to the champions.

The new deal will reportedly see the goalkeeper double his wages to around £50,000 a week, as he now concentrates on trying to establish himself in pre-season.

Having lost Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez in recent weeks, Fergie is also lining up improved deals for Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck in the near future.

Ben Foster may be left out of the first team for the big match against Arsenal.

Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra are back and look set to allow Man Utd to field an unchanged team from the first leg at Arsenal tonight.

Ferdinand trained at Carrington yesterday and came through unscathed after leaving the pitch at Old Trafford last Wednesday with a suspected cracked rib.

Sir Alex Ferguson stated his belief that Evra will shrug off a leg injury he sustained in the win over Middlesbrough and appears set to name an unchanged back four.

He has options to change the midfield and forward line, but after Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Dimitar Berbatov all completed 90 minutes at the Riverside Stadium, it is likely he will opt for the freshness of Anderson, Michael Carrick and Carlos Tevez.

Darren Fletcher and Edwin van der Sar could also return in place of Park Ji-sung and Ben Foster.

The United boss knows how strong a position he could be in if his side get a goal at the Emirates Stadium, which would force Arsenal to score three to knock them out - a feat no team in Europe has achieved since the 3-0 mauling at the hands of AC Milan at this stage two years ago.

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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admits he sees Ben Foster as a long-term No1 - for both club and country.

"I can see Ben being England's goalkeeper for the next few years and his return to fitness is good news for England," Ferguson stated. "With David James, a really experienced keeper, back in the England squad, it shows that a young keeper like Ben has got a real chance.

"But Edwin van der Sar has been one of the best goalkeepers of all time and he will start the season in goal for us at United.

"Edwin is approaching 38, but he could easily go on until he is 40. Ben is young and has at least 15 years ahead of him, so there is no need for him to panic because his time will come.

"We didn't expect Ben back so quickly and that is why I did not name him in my European squad for the Champions League. When we saw the way he performed in his one game for us at Derby, it was something of a regret, but we were fortunate in that we had Edwin and Tomasz Kuszczak, so we weren't too bad in that department.

"Ben has real ability, though, and he will certainly be challenging for a first-team place this season."

Edwin van der Sar is happy with his relationship with Manchester United goalkeepers Ben Foster and Tomasz Kuszczak.

"As a goalkeeper you are always more separate from the main group than the outfield players, and there is only one place to compete for," he said. "But there is a great relationship between myself, Tom and Ben. We do our work and help each other. We're trying to learn from each other.

"I'm always willing to help them, of course. I give them advice and they learn things from me. But I can always learn things from them, too.

"They may be young, but there is always a different way to do things. I see things and think: 'Hey, that's interesting - maybe I could try that.' You can do that with any goalkeeper."

Ben Foster was forced out of action at the end of the 2006/07 season and subsequently went under the knife to repair a damaged cruciate ligament in his right knee. On Manutd.com he tells of his long road to recovery and his hopes for the rest of the season.

"I've been injured since May and when you can't do what you're paid to do it's massively frustrating.

"I had a lot of expectations surrounding this season and what it might hold for me but I have to put those aside for now. When you're told you're going to be out for eight months and no sooner you just have to knuckle down and get on with it.

"I've been spending a lot of time in the gym, working on all the static cardio-vascular machines. I've been on the exercise bike, the cross-trainer, the treadmill… all the machines that aren't going to put too much pressure on my knee but will help me to keep my stamina up. There have also been lots of leg weights and upper body weights.

"After all that, my knee is getting stronger. I've recently stepped up my training and I've had no pain in it whatsoever. The next step will be doing some more goalkeeping work. Earlier this month, I started doing a few things – just having someone hit volleys into my hands. But I'll start doing some proper sessions soon with the goalkeeper coach and that will push the knee a bit further. The aim at the moment is to be doing full training and getting involved with the lads sometime after Christmas – probably early February.

"I can't wait until I'm playing again. I guess that might be around March next year. It's something to look forward to and something to aim for. Whether it's at United in the Reserves or somewhere else on loan, I'm not bothered – I'll take anything!

Goalkeeper Ben Foster is hopeful that he can finally begin his United playing career in February next year.

Two seasons on loan at Watford followed by a knee operation last summer have prevented the 24-year-old from making a competitive Reds appearance.

However, the England international can finally see some light at the end of a long, trying tunnel. "I'm getting there," Foster told United Radio. "It's been about four and a half months now since I've had the operation but things are going really well.

"I've stepped up my training and I'm doing some work outside, a bit of fitness work, running and the odd bit of goalkeeping too."

Like any player waylaid by a serious injury, Ben's season has been one of utter frustration thus far, but he has taken heart from being able to take on more exercise of late.

"It's been frustrating because you're just stuck in the gym a lot," he said. "But now I've hit that point where I can step up my training it's a bit more enjoyable now. I think it will be mid-to-late February until I'm able to play again."

BEN Foster has revealed the dark humour of the United medical staff is keeping him going during his long fight for fitness.

Although he could yet be back in action by the end of February or the beginning of March, Foster has effectively written off the season after being forced to undergo cruciate ligament surgery last summer.

His operation, and extensive recovery programme means Foster is still to play a first-team game for United, even though he signed for the Old Trafford club in 2005.

But Foster is not getting too downhearted; United's physios have seen to that.

"The physios have a good sense of humour and are a good laugh," he said. "It is nice to have those kind of people around you. It keeps you positive. They have a dark sense of humour. It is like a comedy act and breaks up the monotony."

"It is like groundhog day," he admitted. "I am in the gym six days a week from Monday to Saturday. I still get to keep up with the lads but I can't worry about not playing.

"To be honest, I have pretty much written this season off. Maybe I might get reserve games or go out on loan for a couple of months but I am not expecting anything."

However, when he does get fit, Foster has vowed he will not be happy playing second fiddle to anybody.

"I am only 24, so I have plenty of years left in me yet," he said. "But I won't be happy just to sit on the bench and pick up my pay cheque. I want to be playing, whether that is with England, Manchester United, Watford or wherever."

Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster admits he could seek a loan move away once he is fully fit.

Foster, 24, faces another four months on the sidelines after undergoing cruciate ligament surgery during the summer.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had planned to push Foster into a battle with Edwin van der Sar for the United keeper's jersey this term after he impressed during two season-long loan spells with Watford.

Foster said: "It is going to be difficult to get past Edwin van der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak.

"I might have to go out on loan for a couple of months just to blow the cobwebs away."

Ben Foster is set to hand Manchester United and England a significant injury boost.

The Guardian says Foster, who needed an operation in the close season to deal with a persistent knee-ligament problem, was not expected to be available until March but the specialists who have been treating him believe he could return in January.

Foster was arguably the finest English goalkeeper in the Premier League last season, while on loan at Watford, and if he is available for the second half of the season it gives him an outstanding chance, qualification permitting, of being called up for the England squad for next summer's European Championship.