Ferguson rejects plans to strengthen in January to ease defensive crisis
SIR ALEX FERGUSON has ruled out the possibility of delving into the transfer market to ease Manchester United’s defensive crisis.
Ferguson saw his United side slump to a fifth defeat of the campaign at Fulham on Saturday – one more that than the whole of last season.
It left them four points behind Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table, prompting suggestions Ferguson would look to strengthen in the January transfer window to push on for a record fourth successive title.
The United chief is already without seven senior defenders: Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Wes Brown, Jonny Evans, John O’Shea, Gary Neville and Rafael Da Silva, plus keeper Edwin van der Sar, but the Scot insists there is no need for any new signings.
“That has not come onto the agenda,” he said, “We hope that Wes Brown will be back in a week or 10 days time, Rio Ferdinand is improving, Gary Neville is getting there and Rafael Da Silva has now started training.
“We are not so bad and we are not looking at signing players.”
Despite his stance, Ferguson has still been linked with a number of new faces this January with Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa and Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey touted.
The United boss has, however, already dismissed the possibility of bringing in free agent Sol Campbell.