United won't be mugged on transfers

Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted Manchester United will not be taken for mugs in the transfer market.

They have plenty of targets but so far, Ferguson has brought only two new players to Old Trafford, paying £18.6million for Michael Carrick before completing the capture of West Brom keeper Tomasz Kuszczak on Thursday.

As Carrick is out for at least two or three weeks due to an injury, there is little doubt that Ferguson will need extra midfield cover, with Villarreal's Marcos Senna and Bayern Munich's England international Owen Hargreaves of interest.

Poor Ferguson is still trying to spin a story of United not spending the obsence amounts of money Chelsea have been splashing out, claiming it is now time for United to take a stand against clubs trying to milk them for every possible penny. 'I know this summer has been frustrating but there comes a point when you realise you can only take so much,' Ferguson told United Review.

'This close season has driven the point home even more that people are looking at Manchester United like a milch cow. 'Perhaps it is the cavalier amounts of money Chelsea have been spending which has upped the ante because the asking prices these days have soared to ridiculously high levels.

'It is as if the thinking is that if Chelsea can afford such and such, then we can expect Manchester United to pay through the nose as well. 'But it has got to the point where you can only take so much and I want to make it clear that we are not going to be taken for mugs.'

The statements seem ironical in the wake of the transfer deal for Carrick which many fans feel was overpriced while van Nistelrooy was sold off cheaply. Nevertheless, he has made a brave attempt to cover up for his failure to sign a world class striker. His target, Fernando Torres has an initial asking price in excess of £40million but Ferguson was unwilling to part with £25million for a player still relatively unproven.

The situation right now is to stick with Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney as his first-choice strikeforce, supplemented by fit-again Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Alan Smith - who should be available in a fortnight - and rising star Giuseppe Rossi, who will stay at Old Trafford this season after Ferguson previously toyed with the idea of sending him out on loan.

'Maybe we have to become stronger in our belief in our own players and trust in the quality of those we are continuing, as always, to bring through,' said Ferguson. 'We do not expect to get players on the cheap but at the same time, we have to stick to our values and make a stand.'

Too bad for Ferguson as beggars can't be choosers. Things may not be so bad though as there are always surprises in football and the highly rated teams don't always end up as champions, so for anti Man-United fans, they risk writing off United's chances at their own peril.