Fergie urges in-demand Pogba: Stay at United

Sir Alex Ferguson has told young star Paul Pogba: "You don't need to chase money at a club like Manchester United, it will eventually find you."

The exciting young midfielder is interesting a host of top clubs, including Manchester City and Juventus, after his agent seemed to rule out a contract extension in search of a better deal.

But Old Trafford boss Ferguson has now explained he has such faith in the French midfielder that he won't rush into the transfer market, despite a catalogue of injuries.

Instead, the veteran manager is prepared to offer Pogba a first team chance over the busy Christmas period, as he urged the youngster to reconsider his position.

"He's got an agent who's obviously become a bit difficult but we're negotiating with this agent and we want the boy to stay," Ferguson insisted.

"But it's down to the individual also.

"Matt Busby summed it up perfectly, that you don't need to chase money at a club like Manchester United, it will eventually find you. If you're good enough, you will earn money and become rich playing for us, there's no doubt about it.

"You hope he gets the right advice. All the young players who remain here always do well. It's one of these situations that they can chase the money early in their career but at the end it's not the same as if they'd stayed here.

"It's the decision the player has to take himself, no matter who he is, about where they think their best future will be. He just needs to look round about him to realise that. But if he wants to go, there is nothing we can do about it."

While Ferguson is keen to change the youngster's mind, he insisted there is no hurry, because United have an option to extend his contract anyway.

And the United boss is hoping the opportunity offered by the absence of midfielders Darren Fletcher, Anderson and Tom Cleverley, will persuade Pogba he has a bright future at Old Trafford.

The 18-year-old could even get a game at QPR on Sunday, after his manager stressed he won't be panicked into plunging into the January transfer market when he has so much young talent at his disposal.

"We have an option on Paul's contract that takes us into a year-and-a-half away so in that respect there's not a great emergency about it," Ferguson added.

"But we'd like the boy to sign a contract and if he'd like to be a Manchester United player then he knows what to do.

"There will be chances here. We've got players capable of wearing the red jersey and, and they'll wear it with complete confidence they can do well.

"I think it's how you handle the situation. We're not panicking. We've got enough experience in the staff to cope with these things.

We know it happens and there's no point crying about it. You just get on with it, there's nothing else you can do. You've got injuries, deal with it.

"You're always tempted to buy if you feel the right player comes along, you have to be. But they're not there, so what do you do?

"It is one of these situations that unless a player we have been interested in for a while appears and we can get him, then there is not much point brining in an individual in just because it gives you another number.

"Pogba is a possibility because he is a big strong lad, he's a good athlete, he is improving, he is developing well.

"In terms of the FA Youth Cup winning team of last season, he, physically, is better than the rest of that group, maybe apart from Zeki Fryers who is a very good athlete."

Anderson is back in training with the first team squad, and should be available for the busy New Year programme, and Cleverley, too is on schedule for a return soon after Christmas.

Dimitar Berbatov and Rafael are available again for the QPR game.

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