Summer of change forecast for champions

It did not take Alex Ferguson long to mark out his next major challenge as Manchester United manager.

Even as he was sipping the celebratory champagne which accompanied the eighth Premier League title win of his illustrious career, Ferguson was plotting a path to European glory.

Changes are likely this summer as the Old Trafford outfit look to match their achievements at home on foreign soil but who are the men at risk and who are the ones on Ferguson’s shopping list?

Here, PA Sports assesses some of the possibilities.

GOALKEEPER

OUT: Fabien Barthez was left on the bench against Charlton on Saturday and is surely on his way out. Ferguson felt he was to blame for the goals which saw Real Madrid come through their classic Champions League confrontation and amid a series of injuries, has lost patience with the eccentric Frenchman. Neither Roy Carroll nor Ricardo look like first-team regulars.

IN: Leeds’ Paul Robinson is apparently a dedicated Manchester United fan and an MUTV subscriber and would probably jump at the chance of following Rio Ferdinand across the Pennines. Leeds are hardly in a position to refuse a decent offer and West Ham would be left in a similar situation with David James should they fail to beat the drop next weekend.

DEFENCE

OUT: Ferguson spent £29.3m (€41.9m) on Ferdinand last summer but reflected yesterday that a lack of experience in defence might have cost his team in Europe. Laurent Blanc and David May are set to depart and if a new face does come in, what price one of the Neville brothers joining them?

IN: Alessandro Nesta has the ability and experience to fill the void Ferguson feels exists but he would come at a cost. Julien Escude is available on a free from Rennes but is he not necessarily any better than Wes Brown or John O’Shea.

MIDFIELD

OUT: By the start of next season, the future of David Beckham will finally have been resolved. United publicly insist they do not want to lose him, Real Madrid publicly declare they are not interested in him, yet the rumours of a move persist and amateur psychologists are quick to seize on any scrap – kicking a ball on the pitch with his son – as evidence he is on his way. First-team fringe men Michael Stewart and Luke Chadwick are set to leave and Quinton Fortune has still to sign a new contract, but if a big name arrives and Beckham does not move, Juan Sebastian Veron may not be safe.

IN: Ronaldinho is available from Paris St Germain and is capable of supplying the extra guile required to beat the cream of Europe. Harry Kewell and Damien Duff are both capable of filling the left-sided berth created by Ryan Giggs’ move into a more forward position and one of that duo could find their way to Old Trafford this summer.

STRIKERS

OUT: With only three front-line strikers on his books, Ferguson needs more not less and neither Diego Forlan nor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is likely to leave and Ruud van Nistelrooy has proved to be priceless this season.

IN: Speedy French youngster David Bellion was courted by Ferguson during the transfer window and is now available on a free. That would be tinkering at the edges though. If Beckham goes would Ronaldo consider moving in the opposite direction?