Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has cast fresh doubt on the future of Darren Fletcher, saying the midfielder will be offered a non-playing role at the club if he fails to recover from a chronic bowel condition.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has cast fresh doubt on the future of Darren Fletcher, saying the midfielder will be offered a non-playing role at the club if he fails to recover from a chronic bowel condition.
The Scotland international, 28, has not played since November, when the condition forced him to take an extended break from football, and Ferguson said yesterday Fletcher would not be ready to start next season, which had been his target.
The United manager maintains that Fletcher will be given as long as it takes to return, but said: "He hasn't started training with us. Obviously he has got great challenges ahead and we are happy to be patient with him but he won't be starting the season.
"It is unfortunate because he is such a magnificent professional and such a nice lad. But if it doesn't work for him he knows he has a position in the club anyway."
United blocked attempts to seek Ferguson's opinion on the Glazers's admission that the club's indebtedness could adversely affect its financial health and competitive position, in their recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. However, the United manager admitted that he wanted at least one more new addition this summer despite United's pounds 423.3?million debts.
United have been linked with Arsenal captain Robin van Persie as well as Sao Paulo's Brazilian winger Lucas Moura.
"It is possible we could bring in one more, maybe two more, but more likely one more, but I think we have always done well in terms of getting players at the end of the season," Ferguson added. "We've always felt it is the right time - then you don't have to wait all summer.
"Whenever the European Championship or World Cup is on there is usually a delay in the transfer industry. Now all that is over we are still trying to get maybe one player in."
Ferguson unveiled his two new signings yesterday (Thursday), Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell.
Ferguson monitored Kagawa, 23, after being tipped off by United's Germany scout Peter Braund in October and the Japan international was finally signed for pounds 17 million from Borussia Dortmund last month. Kagawa can fulfil a variety of attacking roles but stated his preference for a central role behind the striker, and Ferguson expects the midfielder to make a significant impact once he has grasped the basics of the English language.
"He plays in behind the striker, he's very quick and he's got good vision. His goalscoring record over the last two years has been very good from that position," Ferguson said.
"It was good that he was with a successful team to allow him to adapt to European football. He's a maturing player and in the next few years we'll see that at United.
"I'm sure over the next few months he'll improve his English or Scottish, whichever is easier, but he won't understand my Scottish when I lose my temper so it doesn't matter."
Powell, 18, rose to prominence by helping Crewe to promotion from League Two through the play-offs. Although he thrived as an attacking midfielder, Ferguson expects to use the England Under-18 international in a deeper role.
Ferguson said, "He's got a little bit of physical development to go which you'd expect from an 18 year-old but he'll be in the first-team squad.
"Football always throws up that opportunity for any one person. If they progress and they're good enough I don't have an issue with that. We play young players all the time."
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