Fergie's transfer regret

The Bayern Munich star wanted to head for Old Trafford and could yet become a United player in 2007.

After promising to strengthen the midfield in the summer, United actually ended up making a profit on their transfer business - despite splashing out on Tottenham's Michael Carrick.

The largely impressive start to the season has silenced any criticism of the squad but Ferguson has been rocked by the injury to Park Ji-Sung, who he claims is one of the most under-rated players he has ever had as a manager.

Speaking in a revealing exclusive interview with the League Managers' Association's official website, the Scot was candid about his options.

"People weren't analysing Roy Keane as a player of 34 or 35 years of age, they were analysing as if he was 22, as if he was still young," he stated.

"He wasn't young, he was showing the signs like every player that's had bad injuries and Roy had a few of them. He was getting to 35 and, at some point, we were going to have to replace Roy anyway.

"So that was always a big issue at our club for the last two or three years and you just can't find Roy Keanes. It's impossible.

"The midfield was the area that there's been the most speculation about and the most criticism about simply because Roy Keane left.

"We focused on Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves right away [during the close season].

"We got one and didn't get the other. If we'd got Owen Hargreaves it would have given us a complete variation of the type of midfield players that you need in the modern day game.

"We're disappointed that we didn't get Owen Hargreaves but we've got people like [Darren] Fletcher developing fantastic.

"[John] O'Shea is developing terrific, you can play him anywhere O'Shea.

"The big blow to us really was Ji- Sung Park's injury. Ji-Sung Park is probably one of the most under-rated players I've ever had at this club and the players love him, even all the staff say: 'You can't leave Ji-Sung Park out your team'.

"Ji-Sung has become a very, very important player in this club. We've lost him for three months but you lose players in the Premiership, that's why you need a squad. So I think the squad we had, when the season started, I was happy with."