Sir Alex Ferguson says he has alternative transfer targets in place if his bid to take Leeds defender Rio Ferdinand to United falls through.
The Red Devils chief has admitted for the first time that he is worried by the club's inactivity in the transfer market, but that he will keep plugging away with the new Premiership campaign just five weeks away.
"It's been disappointing that we haven't secured anyone yet and I'm getting a bit edgy," said Ferguson.
"But it won't be the case that we'll go into the season with less players in the squad. We will have new players in place."
Ferguson has confirmed that star England defender Ferdinand is high on United's shopping list but admits Leeds' appointment of new manager Terry Venables could work against The Reds. Ferguson, though, will not be deterred in his bid to strengthen his squad and says he has a contingency plan.
"The Rio Ferdinand thing is an issue and we're waiting on things developing at the moment," Ferguson added.
"It's not our job to antagonise people and there'll be no war of words but Leeds have said themselves that we're the club that has talked to them about Rio so it's no secret. If he's available, then we'd be interested but it's not clear-cut.
"We'll work away and we have alternatives and other thoughts. We're short in defence because we've lost three senior squad defenders from last season. When you lose the likes of Denis Irwin and Ronny Johnsen, you're losing a lot of experience there.
"We haven't drawn up a big list of potential targets. You don't do that when you're trying to achieve what we're trying to achieve.
"With the quality and type of player we want to bring to the club, you only have a list of four or five players who are operating at the highest level who you feel could come here and enhance the team."
Blackburn flier Damien Duff has also been touted as a potential target and Ferguson, while refusing to confirm his interest in the Republic of Ireland man, concedes United could be priced out of a deal because of his outstanding World Cup campaign.
"The World Cup beat us because two or three players emerged over there who we had made enquiries for before the World Cup started," Ferguson told the Manchester Evening News.
The Red Devils chief has admitted for the first time that he is worried by the club's inactivity in the transfer market, but that he will keep plugging away with the new Premiership campaign just five weeks away.
"It's been disappointing that we haven't secured anyone yet and I'm getting a bit edgy," said Ferguson.
"But it won't be the case that we'll go into the season with less players in the squad. We will have new players in place."
Ferguson has confirmed that star England defender Ferdinand is high on United's shopping list but admits Leeds' appointment of new manager Terry Venables could work against The Reds. Ferguson, though, will not be deterred in his bid to strengthen his squad and says he has a contingency plan.
"The Rio Ferdinand thing is an issue and we're waiting on things developing at the moment," Ferguson added.
"It's not our job to antagonise people and there'll be no war of words but Leeds have said themselves that we're the club that has talked to them about Rio so it's no secret. If he's available, then we'd be interested but it's not clear-cut.
"We'll work away and we have alternatives and other thoughts. We're short in defence because we've lost three senior squad defenders from last season. When you lose the likes of Denis Irwin and Ronny Johnsen, you're losing a lot of experience there.
"We haven't drawn up a big list of potential targets. You don't do that when you're trying to achieve what we're trying to achieve.
"With the quality and type of player we want to bring to the club, you only have a list of four or five players who are operating at the highest level who you feel could come here and enhance the team."
Blackburn flier Damien Duff has also been touted as a potential target and Ferguson, while refusing to confirm his interest in the Republic of Ireland man, concedes United could be priced out of a deal because of his outstanding World Cup campaign.
"The World Cup beat us because two or three players emerged over there who we had made enquiries for before the World Cup started," Ferguson told the Manchester Evening News.
