Ferguson will try to sign midfielder

Alex Ferguson will step up his battle to bring in a midfield reinforcement to try to stop Manchester United’s season from disintegrating under a weight of injury and suspension.

Ferguson was without four key men for last night’s Carling Cup semi-final triumph over Blackburn in an area of the field where he was already short on numbers following the departure of skipper Roy Keane.

If that was not bad enough, Ryan Giggs lasted just 12 minutes of the 2-1 win before limping off with a hamstring injury, then the Welshman’s replacement Alan Smith picked up a booking that will rule him out of next Wednesday’s Barclays Premiership rematch with Rovers at Ewood Park.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo will be available for Sunday’s FA Cup trip to Wolves after his own three-match ban and Park Ji Sung was due to return to training this morning after a recent knee injury, Ferguson knows it would be a major risk to let the transfer window close next week without making another signing.

So, although chief executive David Gill insisted United’s cheque book was now closed until the summer, Ferguson will prise it open again and hope he can beat the deadline, even if it is only a loan move.

“We know it is going to be difficult but ideally, we would like to bring someone in and we are trying our best,” said Ferguson.