Lizarazu and Cantona get United offers

Sir Alex Ferguson is in talks to add Eric Cantona to his coaching staff.

The former playing star is wanted to help a restructuring of the coaching system at Old Traford when Ferguson's current assistant coach Steve McClaren leaves to join Middlesbrough.

Cantona led United to domination of the English game after he arived from Leeds in 1992 after helping them to win the old first division title but retired in 1997 from the Manchester club and the professional game.

A failed attempt at acting has given way to promotion for the game of beach football but Cantona was involved in training reform at the Old Trafford club when he arrived.

His attitude and hard work in training is often cited by Ferguson and United players as helping them to recover from the drinking culture which dominated the club in the 1980s and establish new methods of training which bore quick results. David Beckham in particular has praised Cantona's example of very hard training and the frmer OM and France star is to be offered part-time work with young players at United.

Bixente Lizarazu is in talks to join United from Bayern Munich and could move in June.