Sir Alex Ferguson could lose two more of his Manchester United stars in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo’s £80 million world-record transfer to Real Madrid.

Despite Ronaldo’s impending exit from Old Trafford, Carlos Tévez, the Argentina striker, still wants to leave the club and United are bracing themselves for offers from Barcelona, and possibly Real, for Nemanja Vidic.

Vidic’s wife, Ana, is growing increasingly unsettled in Manchester and wants to move to a warmer climate. Pep Guardiola, the Barcelona coach, is hoping to exploit the situation by making a £25 million bid for the Serbia defender.

Ferguson will fight tooth and nail to keep Vidic, who has three years left on his contract, but despite telephoning Tévez to urge him to stay, the United manager appears to be chasing a lost cause. Manchester City lead the pursuit of the striker’s signature, ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.

United have lined up Antonio Valencia, the Wigan Athletic and Ecuador winger, as a replacement for Ronaldo, but in the event that Tévez leaves, Ferguson will be forced, reluctantly, to go back into the transfer market for another player.

Ferguson admires Franck Ribéry, the Bayern Munich winger, and Karim Benzema, the Lyons striker, but the United manager may be reluctant to do business given the prices being quoted by their respective clubs.

Bayern want €75 million (£64 million) for Ribéry and Lyons €50 million for Benzema, who is only 21 and remains largely unproven outside of his native France.

“We have said we will only deal under certain conditions,” Uli Hoeness, the Bayern general manager, said. “Namely, if the others want to do really crazy things.”

Remarkably, it took United only two hours to agree to Real’s offer for Ronaldo. David Gill, the United chief executive, was making his way to Geneva for a meeting with Fifa officials when his office received a fax from the Spanish club at about 6pm on Wednesday. Sources close to Gill insist that there was no warning from Real that a bid would be forthcoming.

Gill telephoned Ferguson first, then contacted Ronaldo’s camp, before the matter was taken to the Glazer family, the club’s owners, who insisted that the ultimate decision rested with Ferguson, at which point the manager gave the green light to sell the Portugal forward.

The news brought to an end a bitter three-year tug-of-war between the clubs, although it was greeted with an angry reaction by Michel Platini, the Uefa president. He described the fee as a “serious challenge to the idea of fair play” and vowed to establish new rules governing transfers in an effort to “clean up the system”.

It is understood that United will receive the fee in four annual instalments of £20 million. Sources close to the Glazer family insist that Ferguson will be free to reinvest the money on players, despite the club being faced with an interest bill of £69 million last year on their £699 million of debt.

In financial terms, though, the real winner is Ronaldo, 24, who is expected to sign a six-year contract before being formally confirmed as a Real player on July 1.

His salary will start at £9.5 million a year, rising 25 per cent annually to a staggering £29 million — or just over £557,500 a week — in the final year. He stands to earn up to £107 million.

Real’s outlay on Ronaldo and Kaká, who joined for £56 million this week, could total £330 million, with the club paying more than £1 million a week in wages for the pair come the 2014-2015 season.

SIR ALEX FERGUSON had the last words in the Ronaldo-Real Madrid transfer saga – Cristiano, you can go.

The Manchester United manager was given the sole vote by the club’s owners on whether to cash in on his star player, and the unprecedented power of a promised £80 million war chest was too much for him to overlook.

New Real president Florentino Perez put the world-record offer to United chief executive David Gill last Friday and the club’s owners, the Glazer family, left the decision to Ferguson.

A spokesman for the Glazers said: “The decision reflects Cristiano’s desire to move on after six years of distinguished service for the club during which time he has won everything, and the manager has accepted that decision.

“The Glazer family, as owners, have always supported the manager consistently since their takeover of the club and that is again the situation in this case.”

Franck Ribery appears to be the top target as a direct replacement, with Wigan’s Antonio Valencia and possibly Carlos Tevez also on the shopping list. United have also been linked with Lyon’s Karim Benzema.

Ronaldo had three years remaining on his contract but is set to sign a six-year deal worth up to £10m-a-year in wages after what looks to be the formality of agreeing personal terms.

The world-record transfer deal was finally struck after two years of speculation with Ferguson even saying at one point: “I would not sell that mob a virus.”

Ferguson put his foot down to keep Ronaldo last summer, but finally decided that £68m profit on the man he signed from Sporting Lisbon six years ago was too good to turn down.

Bayern Munich would want a large slice of the fee – around £50m – for Ribery, 26.

United are also believed to be close to putting in a bid of £22m for Valencia – formerly a Real target – with Benzema carrying a £25m price tag.

Ronaldo played 288 times for United, scoring 117 goals, and won the world player of the year award along with the Champions League, three Premier League titles and the FA Cup.

However, United fans began to suspect his heart was not at Old Trafford in his final season.

He threw a tracksuit top on the floor after being substituted in the 2-0 win over Manchester City last and was unimpressive in United’s 2-0 Champions League final defeat to Barcelona later the same month.

Cristiano Ronaldo was allowed to leave Manchester United for Real ­Madrid on one condition – that ­manager Sir Alex Ferguson could use ALL of the £80m fee as a transfer treasure chest.

Talks with the club’s American ­owners, the Glazer family, resulted in the Old Trafford boss being assured that NONE of the world record ­transfer fee would be siphoned off to help ease the club’s finances.

It is a massive ‘thank you’ from the owners to Fergie for his unstinting support since their ­controversial takeover of the club, which angered many United followers.

A club source revealed: “The owners have told him he can have the money, but, to be honest, I don’t think they had too much choice! It was a case of the manager telling them that the time was right and the offer was right – but there were conditions and now he has those extra funds.”

A carefully-worded statement from the Glazer family backed up that information, saying: “The Glazer family, as owners, have always supported the manager consistently since their takeover of the club and that is again the situation in this case.

“The decision reflects Cristiano’s desire to move on after six years of distinguished service for the club, during which time he has won everything, and the manager has accepted that decision.”

United finally caved in to Real’s repeated ­attempts to lure Ronaldo away from Old Trafford when they confirmed yesterday that they had accepted an £80m record bid for the World Player of the Year, with the deal expected to go through by the end of the month.

Real president ­Florentino Perez had ­already vowed to do ­“everything possible” to sign the 24-year-old and, unlike 12 months ago, ­Ferguson did not attempt to talk the Portuguese star round, knowing the former Sporting Lisbon player had his heart set on a move.

A United statement read: “At the request of Cristiano – who has again expressed his desire to leave – and after discussion with the player’s representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.

“Matters are expected to be concluded by June 30.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been handed a £100million transfer fund by Manchester United after he personally gave the order for Cristiano Ronaldo to be sold to Real Madrid.

And United last night prepared to enter a bidding war with Chelsea for France international Franck Ribery which could go as high as £65m.

Old Trafford boss Ferguson is also known to have Lyon’s £25m forward Karim Benzema on his hit list and he hopes to conclude the £16m signing of Wigan’s Antonio Valencia in the near future.

The path was cleared for Ronaldo to realise his dream to join Real when the Spanish club came good on a world record, £80m deal struck with United before Christmas. The transfer should be tied up in the next few days.

Revealed by Sportsmail in early April, the deal will see United collecting a flat one-off fee, with Ronaldo earning £200,000 a week over the course of what is expected to be a six-year contract.

It became clear yesterday that far from being reluctant to allow Ronaldo to leave, Ferguson actively encouraged the deal once he was made aware of the massive fee.

It is also understood that Ferguson has been given a personal assurance by the club’s owners, the Glazer family, that the entire proceeds of the deal will be made available along with his annual £20m transfer budget.

Whether the United boss opts to spend it all is another matter — United must find £65m a year just to service club debt, according to financial experts — but he is certainly not short of options as he looks to replace a player who has underpinned the club’s return to the top of the European game over the last few years.

Wigan’s Ecuador winger Valencia has long been a Ferguson target and he will almost certainly join shortly while the United manager has not yet given up on persuading Carlos Tevez to stay on a long-term deal rather than join neighbours Manchester City.

Indications from the Tevez camp last night were that the Argentine — away on international duty — was still undecided, even if United meet the £25m his rights owners want.

As well as Benzema, Ferguson’s hit-list includes Barcelona holding player Yaya Toure, another City target. He has just turned down a contract extension at the Nou Camp.

It is, however, the prospect of United going head to head with Chelsea for Bayern Munich’s Ribery that looks the most mouthwatering, and the suggestion from Stamford Bridge last night was that the London club certainly expect their rivals to be involved.

Bayern have already indicated the 26-year-old is not for sale and it is thought that it will take an offer of around £65m for the Frenchman to be prised away. Another complication is that his wife is not thought to be keen on England and would rather her husband join Ronaldo in Madrid.

But what is certain is that United have the financial muscle to add to Ferguson’s squad as he looks to minimise the loss of a player who has had such a phenomenal impact at Old Trafford since he joined the club as an 18-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in August 2003.

Having persuaded Ronaldo to stay at United when Real came calling last summer, the club realised during the early stages of the season just finished that it was right to cash in if the Spaniards came through with the money stipulated in a deal eventually struck in the winter.

And when Ferguson — currently on holiday on the Cote D’Azur — was informed that £80m was still on the table this week, he instructed the United board to accept the bid.

United confirmed a deal had been agreed with a short statement early yesterday morning, and it was subsequently underlined privately that Ferguson would have the money at his disposal.

‘It was the manager’s decision and it was supported by the board,’ a spokesman for the Glazers said. ‘The deal hasn’t even been done yet, so we don’t know how much will be available, and it would be inappropriate to comment on the use of the funds.’

Sir Alex Ferguson will decide how much of the world record £80million transfer fee Manchester United are to receive for Cristiano Ronaldo he wants to spend.

In the wake of United's confirmation that a bid from Real Madrid for the Ballon D'Or winner had been accepted, supporters questioned how much of the cash Ferguson would get to spend given the Old Trafford outfit's £650million debt mountain.

While there is a general understanding of why the question is being asked, the Glazer family point to their record of backing Ferguson in the transfer market throughout the four years since their controversial takeover.

They insist that policy has not changed despite the ongoing credit crunch.

So, while they refuse to put a figure on the funds Ferguson might wish to spend, within reason the Scot will get what he wants.

"The idea Manchester United are motivated by a debt burden is just not true," said a Glazer spokesman. "It is not an issue.

"The fact is Cristiano Ronaldo decided, after six years, it was time to move on and the manager said okay.

"Sir Alex Ferguson is in total control of his squad. He is empowered to make whatever decisions he thinks are in the best interests of Manchester United. That continues to be the case."

It means Ferguson is behind the concrete approach for Wigan's Antonio Valencia which Latics chairman Dave Whelan is expecting within the next fortnight, and he will be the one who decides if United should make Bayern Munich a "crazy" offer for Franck Ribery and the level they should ultimately go to.

Not that United are completely immune from the credit crunch, given corporate seats will be difficult to shift in their entirety in the coming season, even though the Red Devils are bidding for a fourth consecutive league title.

However, the impact on Ferguson will be negligible.

"Nothing that has happened over the past four years would lead you to believe the owners are not going to continue investing in the team," added the spokesman.

"A substantial number of world-class players have been brought to the club in the past few years and that will still be the case."

Indeed, given confirmation US finance giant Aon are to become new shirt sponsors in 2010, a positive spin on the past two weeks would emphasise the removal of two areas of uncertainty, allowing the club to focus on what lies ahead free from the spectre of future problems.

"Two big issues have now been removed which, in its own way, is good for everyone," the Glazer spokesman added.

Alexis Sanchez's agent claims Manchester United want to sign the Udinese forward.

The Chile international's representative, Fernando Felicevich, claims the Red Devils are one of a number of Premier League clubs in talks about a potential deal for the 20-year-old.

Sanchez impressed in Serie A last season after spending the previous campaign on loan with Argentinian outfit River Plate and now it looks like he could be set for a move to England.

"My partner is currently in England working on the transfer of Alexis," Felicevich told Setanta.com.

"Yes, we have spoken to Manchester United, but not just to United. We have also held talks with other English teams. We are trying to do the transfer this summer."

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor believes Manchester United would have had more to fear if Wayne Rooney had left Old Trafford rather than Cristiano Ronaldo.

United confirmed they had accepted a world record £80million bid from Real Madrid for Ronaldo on Thursday, with the staggering transfer set to be concluded by June 30.

Most Red Devils supporters have reacted with a shrug, believing the deal is best for all parties given the massive sum of money involved, providing Sir Alex Ferguson gets it to spend on the team rather than it be used to pay off the Glazer family's huge debt.

And, while Taylor accepts Ronaldo's departure leaves a big hole for Ferguson to fill, he would have been more concerned if Rooney had quit.

"It is an interesting question and a difficult decision but as an Englishman, if I was asked to make a choice between the two I would have Wayne Rooney," declared Taylor.

"Wayne has not been far away from being one of the best players in the world for a long time and certainly the way he finished off the season bodes well for Manchester United and England.

"Anyone would want a player of Cristiano Ronaldo's calibre in their team but I would certainly not view his departure as a backward step for Manchester United at all."

Rooney's outstanding form for England, where he had been used in his favoured position just behind a main striker suggests Ferguson might be thinking that way for the 23-year-old at United too.

Despite claiming 12 months ago he had not been fair to Rooney by playing him out wide, Ronaldo's ineffective defending meant Ferguson was forced to utilise him in that role again towards the end of the season.

Ronaldo's exit allows Ferguson to reshape his team slightly to make the most of Rooney's blossoming talent.

If the former Everton star could come up with an extra 10 goals a season, and a new winger, possibly Franck Ribery in addition to the expected arrival of Antonio Valencia, contribute another 10, United would be two-thirds of the way towards matching Ronaldo's contribution, given his astonishing 42-goal haul is unlikely to be repeated by anyone.

Ferguson would also reason that having someone slightly less selfish in his team might bring more out of others.

There were plenty of signs last season - quite apart from his disgraceful reaction to being substituted against Manchester City - that Ronaldo was more interested in himself than his club, posturing that will not be missed, even if his unique skills are a sad loss to the English game as a whole.

"Although he has become more of a team player there was still a significant individual element to the way Ronaldo played," said Taylor.

"Manchester United have always had a very strong team ethic, so it will be interesting to see how Ronaldo's style fits in to the pattern at Real Madrid."

Having made his bold decision, Ferguson will know what plan needs to be activated, even if the danger of paying over the odds for Ribery, and Carlos Tevez, who remains undecided about his own future, is acute.

Lyon's Karim Benzema is bound to come into the Scot's thinking, while there must also be a nagging fear stories about Nemanja Vidic's wife being unhappy in England may result in the Serbian becoming unsettled.

It adds up to an uncertain time for a club who only just failed to become the first to retain the Champions League and, in August, will bid to be the first side in English soccer history to win four titles on the trot.

Yet, as Taylor acknowledges, if anyone has the experience to guide the Red Devils through such choppy waters, it is Ferguson.

"Manchester United have lost top players before and continued to be successful, it is the nature of the game," he said.

"The money being offered was pretty big for a lad who kept saying he wanted to play for Real Madrid.

"Sir Alex has been through this kind of thing plenty of times before and I am sure he will use the money that is made available to strengthen a squad that is already the best in the world."

Manchester United fans have demanded all the £80million received from Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo is reinvested in Sir Alex Ferguson's team - with Carlos Tevez top of their wish-list.

United have been trying to broker a deal with Tevez's advisor Kia Joorabchian, who had a meeting with chief executive David Gill last week aimed at resolving the matter.

However, with a world-record fee at their disposal if, as expected, Ronaldo moves to the Bernabeu later this month, United supporters see no reason to stall any longer, while Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and Antonio Valencia of Wigan remain major targets.

Most United supporters will be happy to accept Sir Alex Ferguson's judgement on a player who nearly left Old Trafford last summer, since when his elaborate posturing and ego have only increased.

But, as compensation for losing the world player of the year, they want an assurance the massive fee will not be used to pay off part of the Glazer family's £650million debt.

"There is no information that it is anything other than the manager's decision but obviously there is huge pressure on the owners and it is a temptation when you are offered that much money," said Duncan Drasdo, chairman of the Manchester United Supporters Trust.

"That is exactly why we want to see a commitment from the owners that the money is going to remain within the club and available to strengthen the squad.

"We have sold the best player in the world. That is a big disappointment. If the money is reinvested into the club at least it will soften the blow."

Old Trafford insiders have attempted to assure supporters that is the case and also insist no agreement was in place when Ferguson famously declared during a press conference at the Club World Cup in Yokohama last December that "he would not sell that mob a virus".

Since then though, attitudes inside the Red Devils camp have hardened to the 24-year-old.

Ronaldo's disgracefully petulant reaction to being substituted during the victory over Manchester City did not go unnoticed, nor his body language in the immediate aftermath of defeat against Barcelona in Rome last month.

Given it was also apparent Ferguson no longer trusted Ronaldo to do any defensive work, forcing Wayne Rooney to play in a wider position that limits his growing abilities, the United boss simply decided trying to keep Ronaldo was no longer worth it, even if he talent is immense.

As someone whose departure along with Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis in the summer of 1995 led to a newspaper poll calling for Ferguson to be sacked, only for United to respond by landing the double, Mark Hughes knows better than most that Ferguson should not be questioned at this point.

"There has been a lot of speculation about Ronaldo's future for a number of seasons, so that is not so much of a shock as maybe the level of investment Real Madrid is prepared to put in to acquire him," said Hughes.

"As we know, Sir Alex Ferguson makes key decisions very quickly. You suspect he has been involved in this and feels it is the right decision for the team and the club. You have to respect that."

Cristiano Ronaldo's proposed £80m transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid not only promises to rewrite the record books, but also potentially spark a buying frenzy from the Old Trafford giants that has not been seen for many a year.

While the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov have all moved for substantial fees in recent years, rarely has manager Sir Alex Ferguson had the opportunity - or desire - to bring in a collection of big-money signings in one transfer window.

The loss of one of the world's greatest players has prompted a mixed reaction among United fans - some bemoaning the departure of a player that has spearheaded the club's haul of nine trophies in three seasons, others happy to take the money for an unhappy player.

However one looks at it, though, United have a big gap to fill - and a huge sum of money with which to fill it.

Here, BBC Sport looks at some of the players who could be tasked with filling the void created by Ronaldo's switch to the Bernabeu.

Name: Antonio Valencia
Age: 23
Position: Winger
Potential cost: £16m
Club: Wigan Athletic

Long linked with a switch to Old Trafford, Antonio Valencia would appear to be an obvious like-for-like replacement for Ronaldo.

Aged 23, just a year younger than the Portugal international, Valencia has impressed during his three years at Wigan with his pace and trickery, though a return of just seven goals in 83 appearances suggest he lacks Ronaldo's prolificacy in front of goal.

Valencia is widely expected to leave Wigan this summer, and Latics chairman Dave Whelan admits: "Sir Alex Ferguson had him watched in every game last season and he holds Antonio in high regard. There is no question he is interested."

Name: Franck Ribery
Age: 26
Position: Winger
Potential cost: £30m
Club: Bayern Munich

The France winger would not come cheap, but he would bring to Old Trafford a proven ability to perform on the biggest stages.

With 37 caps and seven goals at international level, Ribery shook off a turbulent start to his career - when he represented five clubs in five years aged 17-22 - to become one of Europe's most consistent performers at club level.

Two impressive years at Marseille preceded a 25m euro move to Bayern Munich and his most productive years, with 20 goals in 53 appearances.

Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer has admitted Ribery could be sold if he does not extend his current deal at the Allianz Arena, but Manchester United sources have hinted the fee, combined with Ribery's age, could put Ferguson off making a bid.

Name: Karim Benzema
Age: 21
Position: Striker
Potential cost: £25m
Club: Lyon

Although not a direct replacement for Ronaldo, Lyon forward Karim Benzema could at least go some way to replacing one facet of Ronaldo's game that proved so valuable to United in recent years - goals.

Ronaldo's haul of 71 goals in the past two seasons underlines the goal presence United will be missing, and Benzema comes with a lofty reputation to match his price tag.

The 6ft frontman has scored 43 goals in 112 appearances for Lyon - and would also bring a familiarity with a three-man frontline often favoured by Ferguson, having played across the front three in Lyon's 4-3-3 formation this season.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has insisted Benzema will not leave the club before the 2010 World Cup, but money talks in football - as United know only too well.

Name: Sergio Aguero
Age: 21
Position: Forward
Potential cost: £45m
Club: Atletico Madrid

Another option if Ferguson is looking for a young, lethal forward, is Atletico Madrid's crown jewel Sergio Aguero.

The Argentine earned a move, aged just 17, to Atletico on the back of 23 goals in 54 appearances for Independiente and has followed that up with 42 goals in 112 appearances in Spain.

Now a regular member of the Argentina national squad, Aguero has been cutting his teeth alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano - and impressing all with his ability to create as well as score goals.

However, the darling of Madrid would not be cheap. Reports suggest it could take as much as £45m to lure him, while he will demand wages of over £11m a year BEFORE tax.

Too much to risk on a youngster still unproven in the Premier League, or a chance worth taking? Ferguson may feel he has safer bets in the pipeline...

Name: Arjen Robben
Age: 25
Position: Winger
Potential cost: £20m
Club: Real Madrid

The purchase of Cristiano Ronaldo, allied to that of Brazilian playmaker Kaka, has left Real Madrid with an abundance of attacking talent - and many expect something akin to a firesale at the Bernabeu as a result.

And Manchester United could do worse than consider the mercurial Arjen Robben, equal parts inspirational and frustrating during his time at Chelsea between 2004 and 2007.

When not on the injury table - an occurrence all too frequent for the Dutchman's liking - the 25-year-old has proven pacy, skillful and with an eye for a goal and a pass.

Whether Real would be willing to sell, and whether Ferguson would consider buying a player deemed surplus to requirements by Jose Mourinho during the Portuguese's time at Chelsea, remain to be seen.

Name: David Silva
Age: 23
Position: Winger
Potential cost: £18m
Club: Valencia

An arguably less recognisable name, David Silva nonetheless has all the attributes Sir Alex Ferguson might be looking for in a forward.

The 23-year-old can play on either wing, or behind the frontman, and has developed into a key member of the Spain squad that won Euro 2008 and is ranked number one in the world.

Silva penned a new seven-year deal with Valencia last summer that ties him to Los Che until 2013, but the cash-strapped club could be forced to sell him.

There would also be the added bonus that Silva has long been a target of Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez - and wouldn't Ferguson just love getting one over on his Premier League rival?

Name: Aaron Lennon
Age: 22
Position: Winger
Potential cost: £18m
Club: Tottenham

Although not yet the finished product, Aaron Lennon could provide an interesting option for United.

The winger is young, fast, increasingly effective going forward, and tore strips off left-back Patrice Evra time and again in the Carling Cup final at Wembley in February.

With Spurs boss Harry Redknapp reportedly keen to conduct a huge clearout at Tottenham, the ol' wheeler-dealer might be willing to accept a big-money offer in order to fund his rebuilding job at White Hart Lane.

However, Lennon was arguably Tottenham's player of the season last year and, having only penned a new contract this season, appears settled and keen to play a part in the London club's revival under Redknapp.

Name: Carlos Tevez
Age: 25
Position: Forward
Potential cost: £25m
Club: Unattached

What list of potential replacements for Cristiano Ronaldo would be complete without the name of fans' favourite Carlos Tevez?

The Argentine has forged a sensational rapport with the United supporters with his full-throttle displays and knack of scoring important goals, and the Old Trafford faithful would love nothing more than to welcome him back to the club next season.

Although frustrated by a lack of starts in the 2008-2009 campaign, Cristiano Ronaldo's departure would surely make Tevez a key attacking force for United next season.

And the fact he is familiar with the way Ferguson - and the likes of Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov - works, would ensure a smooth transition from loan star to big-money buy.

However, reports suggest ties between Tevez and the club have already been severed. Ferguson's apparent reluctance to pay the £25m being asked for by Tevez's representatives to make his stay at Old Trafford permanent has upset a player with no shortage of suitors.

One such admirer is United's local rivals Manchester City and it is thought negotiations to take Tevez across the city are already well under way.

Now flush with cash, is it too late for United to snatch Tevez back from under the noses of the blue half of Manchester?

Sweden's free-scoring, or rather three-scoring, front man will be on many club's shopping lists after his display against Belarus. Talking Reds' Ama4ManU thinks United should take a punt...

Player name: Marcus Berg
Team: Sweden, FC Groningen
Position: Striker
Age: 22

Match scouted: Sweden 5-1 Belarus, 16 June 2009

Key moment: He scored a hat-trick, and in some style. His first two goals were out of an Ibrahimovic textbook - the first the result of some brilliant footwork, his second a fine volleyed finish - and his last was an instinctive striker's goal.

Strengths: Has a natural eye for goal. He's also stong, good on the ground and in the air, and he brings others around him into play.

Weaknesses: Maybe need to see more of him to determine weaknesses because his first outing in the tournament was pretty much flawless.

Suitability: An ideal out-and-out striker that either Rooney or Tevez (if he stays) can play behind. He'd also do well if he was played in support of Berbatov, who could drop off and played behind him.

Estimated cost: As Groningen's top scorer in the Eredivisie last season, they might be unwilling to let him go and if he keeps up this form his price will rocket. But I think a bid in the range of £7-10million is worth it.

The latest of our scouting reports - from Talking Reds poster Roonical - focuses on Spain and Barcelona's starlet...

Player name: Bojan Krkic
Teams: Spain, Barcelona
Position: Striker
Age: 18

Match scouted: Spain 0-0 Germany, 15 June 2009

Key moment: He struggled to make an impression here, but I saw him for Spain U21s against Belgium. He got the ball just inside their half, created space and then cracked a shot past the goalkeeper.

Strengths: He has many; particularly a devastating mix of speed and agility, much like Lionel Messi, which allows him to go past players with ease. Bojan also has immense power in his shots and can score from a variety of positions.

Weaknesses: Needs to learn when to pass and when to shoot, but decision-making is an asset that comes with experience.

Suitability: With Berbatov up front, Bojan and Rooney could take up wide positions. I'd love to see them link up together.

Estimated cost: Being at Barcelona, he might be difficult to prise away from the Nou Camp. But if we to pay the money and offer first-team opportunities, a fee of around £20million could get our man. It's a high price, but I think he'll soon become one of the best players in the world and would be a great asset.

We've asked you to pick out the best talent at the European U21 Championships. Several would-be scouts on Talking Reds suggested Spain's young shot stopper, with berbatov30.75 making the strongest case...

Player name: Sergio Asenjo Andrés
Teams: Spain U21, Real Valladolid
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 19

Match scouted: Spain 0-0 Germany, 15 June 2009

Key moments: Made a fine first-half stop from Mesut Özil, a wonderful save from the same player in the 62nd minute, when a goal looked certain, and again proved to be Özil's nemesis with a stunning save nine minutes from time.

Strengths: Great positional awareness and quick off his line to block shots.

Weaknesses: He could command his area and back four a little more, but that's due to inexperience and will change with time. He's already Real Valladolid's number 1. I think he had seven clean sheets in 23 games - very good in a team who finished a point above the relegation zone in La Liga.

Suitability: With Edwin van der Sar coming to the end of his career I think Asenjo would be a perfect replacement with huge potential. He is arguably the best young goalkeeper in the world.

Estimated cost: Around £5m and although Real Valladolid would not want such a great player to leave, they are not a massive club. If the money is right they'll have to let him go.

Finland's powerful striker caught the eye of many of our readers against England in the U21 Championships' opening match. Here, exiles8 explains why United should sign him...

Player name: Berat Sadik
Teams: Finland, Arminia Bielefeld
Position: Striker
Age: 22

Match scouted: England 2-1 Finland, 15 June 2009

Key moment: The England defence couldn't handle him in the first half. He held everything up and brought the Finland midfield into the game superbly before winning the penalty, which culminated in Michael Mancienne's sending off.

Strength: He is a good all-round striker, but his strength and physical presence are his main assets.

Weaknesses: His main problem is inexperience. He sometimes makes wrong decisions, but that will come with time.

Suitability: I think he would be a great option to play alongside Wayne Rooney as a more physical replacement for Dimitar Berbatov.

Estimated cost: I think we could get him for a relatively low fee from Arminia Bielefeld, who were relegated from the Bundesliga last season. I think he would cost around £2-3m, but his fee may rise after this tournament.

Bayern Munich have issued a denial over an article in Wednesday's Sport Bild magazine in which president Franz Beckenbauer is quoted saying the sale of Franck Ribery is something they are considering.

According to a press release from the record German champions, the article was a "false announcement and does not reflect the truth".

In the newspaper story, Beckenbauer revealed the advisory board had "discussed the issue at our last (...) meeting and we all agreed that, if he really wants to leave, then we will deal with the issue".

However, his remarks do not represent the club's official stance.

"There is no such resolution by the advisory board of FC Bayern Munich AG which includes the issue of a sale of the player Franck Ribery," explained the club in an official statement.

"The transfer (sale) of a player does not need the approval of the advisory board, according to the constitution of the FC Bayern Munich AG board of directors.

"The FC Bayern Munich AG board of directors have made the overwhelming resolution that the player Franck Ribery is not for sale."

With Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona all showing an interest in the France midfielder, by reinforcing their official stance in a statement, Bayern will hope to end speculation linking the 26-year-old with a transfer this summer.

And Bayern rarely stand down when it comes to the sale of contracted players, as the prolonged transfer saga involving Owen Hargreaves and Manchester United illustrates.

The England international was denied a transfer in 2006 only months after extending his contract with Bayern and United were warned to drop their interest in the player.

The issue was dealt with until Bayern signalled their willingness to listen to offers a year later and Hargreaves made the move to the Premier League club for a Bundesliga record sale of 25million euros.

Since Bayern appear so intent on keeping hold of Ribery, the chances are he will be wearing their colours for at least another season before the issue of a sale returns to the agenda.