United Going for Higuain and Silva spending £60million in market

"ALEX FERGUSON will try to persuade Manchester United chiefs to spend big in the summer after their season dramatically fell apart.

The Old Trafford manager wants £60million - around twice as much as in recent seasons - to spend on Karim Benzema and David Silva.

He wants those two to underpin the 'tweaking' of a squad who crashed out of the FA Cup and Champions League, then seemingly handed the Premier League title to Chelsea with a tame draw at Blackburn.

But Fergie, 68, is always the last to panic and believes wholesale changes are NOT needed to get back on the trophy trail.

Owners, the Glazers, claim the money left over from the £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo is still there to finance deals.

If Fergie gets the go-ahead to splash the cash by debt-ridden United, he will make just a few minor, if expensive, adjustments.

The Scotsman, once told he would win nothing with kids, will trust again in the youth at Old Trafford with United's old guard ready to fall as one team evolves into another.

Rafael might be only 19 but has already proved what an excellent right-back he is, even if his inexperience cost him dearly in the second leg against Bayern Munich with a red card.

In Jonny Evans, 22, there is a ready made replacement for centre-half Rio Ferdinand who is having endless back problems.

Ferguson also has big plans for 20-year-old Chris Smalling who he bought from Fulham this season and loaned back to Roy Hodgson until the summer.

And while the jury is still out on Darron Gibson, the 22-year-old Irish midfielder is just starting to prove his worth.

Fergie has always loved to play with width and in Antonio Valencia, 24, and Nani, 23, he has players who can provide that in abundance.

He snatched a then 18-year-old Wayne Rooney from Everton because he knew what his explosive talents could bring and that is why he will hunt down long-term target Benzema.

Ferguson tried for Benzema, 22, this season but lost out when the striker chose arch European rivals Real Madrid who snatched him for around £35m.

Although Benzema has scored eight goals this campaign his face does not seem to fit at the Bernabeu and United could get him for a 'cut-price' £25m.

Valencia winger Silva, 24, also remains on his hit-list and the struggling Spanish club could do with the £35m he will generate.

The old head of keeper Edwin van der Sar, 39, will survive another season but club captain Gary Neville, 35, is heading for retirement in the summer.

Paul Scholes will also admit at 35 his days of bossing games from midfield are in the past.

Ferguson once went three years without a pot and responded with a hat-trick of titles and a European Cup.

Now he will aim to prove once more his best years at the very top are not in his past."