Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is planning to buy back Ryan Shawcross from Stoke City.
The News of the World says Shawcross left Old Trafford at the start of 2008 in a £1million deal.
But Ferguson has monitored his progress and nearly re-signed the 21-year-old defender during the summer.
Now, the Old Trafford boss will have to decide whether to move for Shawcross in the January window or wait until the end of the season.
And if misgivings about the performances of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic continue, Ferguson could be tempted to act sooner rather than later.
