’s young star Tom Cleverley may be handed a new contract of £80k per week before the end of the year according to Mirror Football.

The England midfielder still has two and a half years left on his current contract, with wages of £40k per week, signed at the beginning of last season. However United are keen to not let time on his present deal run down any further and wish to bring his pay up to the level of some of the club’s star players.

Ferguson is keen to reward the 23-year-old's rapid progress since being selected for the first XI during Man United’s impressive start to the 2011/2012 Premier league season.

Plagued by injury, Cleverley’s involvement in the first team diminished, and lacked opportunities to impress Roy Hodgson before Euro 2012. However, the midfield playmaker was selected and given a key role in Team GB’s football squad at the London Olympics.

This season, Cleverley, playing in a more advanced role, has shown his goal scoring abilities with two goals in six appearances. Ferguson now appears convinced that the talented youngster is a big part of the Red Devils' future and wishes to tie him down to a long-term deal.

The central midfielder has also broken onto the international scene, being selected by Hodgson and starting in both of England’s qualifying matches against Moldova and Ukraine.

Considering Cleverley’s salary was £40k per week before his career for club or country actually took off, the United board feel the player deserves a better deal.

Speaking recently, Sir Alex explained the midfielder’s importance to the club: “"He is very mature in what he does because he's got a fine footballing brain, and there's no doubt he's one of the biggest prospects in the English game."