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."

Valencia Warned Manchester United: Silva Not for Sale

Manchester United and Real Madrid have been told to keep their hands off David Villa by Valencia, who have insisted that the midfielder is not for sale.

The 24-year-old was reported as being available for sale for £30 million but it appears now that Valencia are set on keeping the Spain star.

Silva himself recently admitted that a move to thePremier League greatly appealed to him, with United seemingly his favoured destination.

However, Valencia president Manuel LLorente has insisted that the player, who helped the club to third place in La Liga last season, is going nowhere.

"He will not leave," Llorente told The Sun.

Fergie has last chance to move Spanish ace to Old Trafford

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to take on Real Madrid in the race to sign Valencia midfielder David Silva. Real Madrid were reportedly close to a deal for the Spanish international but it emerged yesterday evening that Ferguson is considering launching an offer to tempt the player to Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old is ready to quit Valencia and challenge for major European honours with the wideman being linked with Chelsea, Barcelona, and Liverpool in the past few months, however Real Madrid and Manchester United are now considered the front – runners to land the tricky winger. 

Real Madrid made contact with Valencia last week regarding the availability of Silva with the Spanish media reporting that Madrid chiefs would secure a deal in the coming weeks, however reports this morning suggest that the door is still open for Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to make an approach. Fergie is a keen admirer of Silva and has tracked him for the last year, but Ferguson has warned that he will not pay over the odds for player’s in the transfer market, and admitted he was only looking at making one addition to the Red Devils squad.

David Silva not going to Manchester United

Real Madrid have launched their bid to prise David Silva away Valencia.

Radio Cadena Ser says no official has been made for the Spain international, but Real have contacted Valencia president Manuel Llorente to register their interest.

Real are setting the groundwork to sign Silva ahead of rivals Manchester United and Barcelona.