Transfer window the best view for Fergie

ALEX FERGUSON might want to strengthen his ailing squad when the transfer window opens in January but the Manchester United boss admits finding the right man could be difficult.

It has been widely assumed that Ferguson will be allowed to prise open the Old Trafford purse strings in an attempt to revive the club's flagging fortunes after a disappointing start to a campaign which has been ravaged by a series of injuries.

A new striker is thought to be at the top of his shopping list, although whether the kind of sums will be made available to capture a target such as Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen is open to considerable doubt.

Ferguson has already splashed out a club record £29.3million on Rio Ferdinand and having spent in excess of £50million to snare Ruud van Nistelrooy, Juan Sebastian Veron and Diego Forlan in the past 18 months, funds may be in short supply.

In any event, scouring Europe for talent still eligible to play a part in his team's Champions League bid is proving a tough task.

By Ferguson's own admission, the majority of players United would want to attract are cup-tied, and the Scot is not too keen on Premiership-only purchases.

''People are talking about the transfer window but it has always been there in terms of European football,'' said the long-serving United boss.

''The trouble is that the players we want are already cup-tied. Once someone plays in a European tie of any description that is it.

''Identifying the players is simple getting them here is much more difficult.

''If you are just looking at someone for the league I think it is better to buy players in the summer so they have time to bed in and start a new season fresh.

''It was January when we bought Andy Cole from Newcastle but we didn't win the league that season.''

Ferguson admitted at the weekend that he was close to capturing a big name striker before the start of the season, only for the deal to fall through at the last minute, while he is unlikely to resurrect the transfer which would have taken Paolo di Canio to Old Trafford last term, only for Dwight Yorke to scupper the move by refusing a big-money switch to Middlesbrough.

The United manager's attempts to reinforce his defensive options also met with failure when the club failed to agree a price from Rennes full-back Julien Escude, while another move for Boca Juniors' Nicolas Budisso was rebuffed by the Argentinian club.

However, bringing in a new striker remains Ferguson's major focus, particularly as Mikael Silvestre has restated his desire to stay at the club, despite talk of a Bosman move back to Serie A when the former Inter Milan man's contract expires at the end of the season.

''In January I can sign for any club but I want to sign a new contract and continue to play for United,'' said the French international, who is believed to prefer a central defensive role to his current left-back position.

''I hope to sign soon and I don't think there will be any problems.

''I have won two titles and the Inter-Continental Cup with United already but I want to achieve more,'' he told www.manutd.com.

Silvestre's services will certainly be required against Newcastle on Saturday when United are set to be without six regular members from their first team squad.