MANCHESTER UNITED’S VETERAN stopper Edwin van der Sar is set to hang up his gloves at the end of the season.

That’s according to the club’s goalkeeping coach Eric Steele, who reckons the former Dutch international has made his decision.

Van der Sar, who turns 40 later this month, has been United’s number one for the past five years but is now ready to call it a day after a glittering career, according to his coach.

Steele told the Manchester Evening News:

I think Ed has made his mind up and said this is his last year.

He is a good pro and a sensible and highly intelligent guy who will know when the time is right. I don’t think he will need myself or the manager to tell him that time has come. He will know.

But if he gets to Christmas and he thinks it is right to go on and the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] thinks it is right we will make a decision.

It is down to how he feels and performs. If he doesn’t perform the manager will make the decision. Edwin will as well.

Steele added that the former Ajax, Juventus, and Fulham goalkeeper is keen to add an FA Cup to his glittering array of honours, having so far been unable to win club football’s oldest cup competition.

Speculation about Van der Sar’s replacement centres on Denmark international Anders Lindegaard from Danish club Aalesunds who has been watched closely by Steele in recent weeks, according to a report in The Guardian.