Carrick handed Keane's shirt

Michael Carrick's move to Manchester United has moved a step closer to completion.

The Red Devils agreed a near £19 million deal with Tottenham Hotspur for the midfielder last week.

Now Carrick is putting the finishing touches to the transfer and if all continues to go as planned, United will unveil him at a press conference on Wednesday.

It has also been confirmed that Carrick will take the number 16 shirt at United - the one vacated by Roy Keane last season.

Carrick's capture will end a long chase by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who first moved for the Newcastle-born midfielder before the summer's World Cup finals.

"Michael has completed his medical, we are going to be having a press conference on Wednesday I think," Ferguson told MUTV.

"He has settled down fine, I spoke to him today. I said to him `I'm giving you the number 16 jersey' so he was delighted at that.

"I think that showed great courage because sometimes players are a bit superstitious about things like that but he was keen, and said he would gladly take number 16."

Ferguson insisted that United's move for Carrick was not born out of desperation after seeing little activity on the transfer front so far this summer.

 "I wasn't too worried to be honest with you, as I said before, you have got to trust the players we have got," he said.

"They had a fantastic season last year in the second half of the season.

"There's a great spirit here and if we add a couple, it's a bonus for us."