Fergie's Gerrard admiration

The Scottish tactician, who is looking to reshape his squad over the summer, feels Gerrard is probably out of reach in terms of prising him away from Anfield but has made no secret of his admiration for the England international.

Ferguson was also quick to praise Arsenal titan Patrick Vieira, but he feels Gerrard does more for the team than the French superstar.

"If you were looking for the player you would replace Keane with, it's Gerrard, without question," Ferguson told The Sunday Times. "He has become the most influential player in England, bar none.

"Not that Vieira lacks anything, but I think that Gerrard does more for his team than Vieira does.

"To me, Gerrard is Keane; he is now where Keane was when Roy came to us in 1994. I've watched him quite a lot, and everywhere the ball is, he seems to be there.

"He's got that unbelievable engine, desire, determination. Anyone would take Gerrard.

"Vieira has done that job for Arsenal for two or three years. But you can see Gerrard rising and rising."

Keane is still the driving force at Old Trafford but he is very much in the autumn of his career.

Ferguson is sure to be making plans for life without Keane, but he would face a huge battle to lure Kop favourite Gerrard away from Liverpool.