Manchester United defender Wes Brown has agreed in principle to a new four-year contract worth £50,000 a week, according to the Daily Star.

The England defender, who has started 41 games in all competitions this season, could have left the Old Trafford club on a free transfer when his current deal ends in June.

Brown, who joined United as a schoolboy 14 years ago, is expected to sign the new deal in the next two weeks after talks re-opened following a six-month stalemate.

The 28-year-old made his United breakthrough as a right-back in the club's 1998-1999 Treble-winning season, and was quickly rewarded with a call-up to the England squad.

Naturally a centre-half, he has been deployed at right-back this season in place of the injured Gary Neville, and it is at full-back that he started England coach Fabio Capello's first two games in charge.

Reuters / Tom Williams / Eurosport