Sir Alex Ferguson will get his own players’ assessment before deciding whether to move for summer target Christian Eriksen.

United will get a first-hand look at the Danish wonderkid when they face Ajax in the Europa League tomorrow night.

Ferguson is a big admirer of the playmaker and is considering a swoop at the end of the season.

Eriksen is already one of the most sought-after talents in Europe, but the United manager will get to see how he copes against the Premier League champions in Amsterdam.

He was famously convinced to speed up Cristiano Ronaldo’s £12m move from Sporting Lisbon after the Portuguese winger wowed United in a friendly match in 2003.

There are question marks about whether Eriksen is ready to make the move to Old Trafford at the age of 19 – but Ferguson will not want to see another starlet slip through his grasp like Karim Benzema did in 2009.

United had tracked the French striker for two years, only to miss out to Real Madrid when he left Lyon.

Ferguson believes Eriksen has the potential to become the long-term successor to Paul Scholes and does not want to lose him to one of United’s European rivals.

He is determined to sign the best emerging talent in the world after consistently complaining about a lack of value in the transfer market.

Last summer he signed 19-year-old Phil Jones and 20-year-old David de Gea for combined fees of more than £30m.

United decided against making a formal move for Wesley Sneijder, who would have cost in the region of £30m and earns around £250,000 a week.

Fergie has reiterated his policy of focusing on young players, rather than ready-made stars.

“We decided a few years ago to create a structure with young players like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson, and we also knew we had some talented youngsters coming through the academy, like Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley,” he said.

“All we’ve had to do since then is just build things around a few young players. With that as our strategy we’ve not had to spend huge amounts of money to stay competitive because we’ve already got the talent at home.”

Meanwhile Javier Hernandez has warned United not to leave themselves with an uphill battle for the second leg of their Europa League clash with Ajax.

The sides play at Old Trafford next week after tomorrow’s first leg in Holland.

“Playing at home in the second leg is important but it’s only a small advantage – it doesn’t guarantee victory,” said the Mexican. “We’ll go to Amsterdam looking to win.”

Paul Scholes has backed Ryan Giggs to be a serious contender for the Manchester United managerial post when Sir Alex Ferguson slips into retirement.

The current occupant of the Old Trafford hot-seat has offered no indication that he is to step down any time soon, but there will become a day when he finally walks away.

Speculation regarding who could fill such sizeable shoes is already doing the rounds, with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola drawing plenty of support.

United could, however, be prepared to promote from within, offering a club legend the opportunity to inherit the reins.

Giggs, who recently penned a 12-month extension to his playing contract, is considered to be the most likely candidate to take that step.

United have always maintained that they will look to appoint the best manager available at the time, but Scholes has revealed that those inside the camp have already discussed the possibility of Giggs moving into the dugout.

"People have talked about Mourinho," he told FourFourTwo.

"It can change quickly - it's about who is successful at the time. Whether they are British or foreign, you just want the best man for the job.

"I could see Ryan Giggs becoming manager."

It is also being widely reported that Ferguson considers Giggs to be the ideal choice as his successor.

The Scot has worked closely with the Welsh winger for 20 years, with the pair having helped United to enjoy an era of domestic dominance.

United have in the past said that they will take Ferguson's advice on board when the day comes to make a managerial change, with chief executive David Gill having told The Independent back in May 2010: "I think Alex will be the key.

"He knows people. He will have a big role in advising and being a sounding board."