MANCHESTER: Ryan Giggs has signed another one-year contract with Manchester United which will take the 39-year-old through to June 2014 and a 23rd season as a first-team player.

Former Wales skipper Giggs made his United debut on March 2, 1991, and has scored 168 goals in 931 appearances. He will make the 1,000th competitive appearance of his career either against Norwich this weekend or against Real Madrid next Tuesday.

He has made 652 league appearances for United, 73 in the FA Cup and 39 in the League Cup. He has also tallied 143 games in the Champions League.

Giggs said: “I am feeling good, enjoying my football more than ever and, most importantly, I feel I am making a contribution to the team. This is an exciting team to be part of, with great team spirit, and we are again pushing for trophies as we head towards the business end of the season.”

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: “Ryan is an example to us all, the way in which he has, and continues to, look after himself.

“He has fantastic energy for the game and it is wonderful to see. Ryan seems to reach a new milestone every week, and to think that he now has 23 unbroken years of league goals behind him is truly amazing in the modern-day game. I don’t think it will ever be achieved again by anyone.

‘Youthfulness’

“His form this year shows his ability and his enjoyment of the game are as strong as ever and I am absolutely delighted that he has signed a new contract.

“He still has that wonderful youthfulness in the way he plays, he still has great balance and a change of pace. He still has his fitness and still gets you a goal.”

The new deal means Giggs will play past his 40th birthday on 29 November. Among his honours are 12 Premier League titles and four FA Cups as well as three League Cups and two Champions League titles.

He won 64 caps for Wales before quitting international football in 2007, and captained Great Britain at last summer’s Olympics in London.

His goal in United’s 2-0 win over Everton on 10 February means he has scored in each of the last 23 seasons, including all 21 Premier League campaigns – the only player to have achieved the latter feat.

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