Despite receiving a world record £80million for the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, Ferguson has restricted his outgoings to £17million on Antonio Valencia, £3million to recruit Gabriel Obertan from Bordeaux ... and NOWT for Michael Owen.
Sir Alex Ferguson: "Pay no attention to the cynics who have suggested our owners have stopped us spending.
"Believe me, it was purely a football decision.
"Maybe it is the Scotsman in me but I believe in value, even when I am spending someone else's money, and the asking price for players we were looking at just wasn't realistic."
"Ronaldo will be a massive loss, but we were never a one-man team.
"We have other players who will rise to the occasion and fill the gap, of that I am sure."