NOTMAN NOT MAN FOR MAN UTD

Ferguson has often said that 21-year-old striker Notman is a hot prospect for the future, but it now appears that the Scottish youngster must move elsewhere if he is to fulfil his potential.

Ferguson told the Daily Record: "Alex is 21 now and the problem when they get to that age is that they can start to get disillusioned because they want to play first-team football.

"At that age we start assessing where they are going to go. If it is going to be the first team then it is really going to show.

"I think in the case of young Alex it is difficult because of the competition.

"I have four strikers at the moment so Alex is in a position where he is unfortunate and I think for his own sake he has to move to another club or he will stagnate.

"We don't want that as he is such a great kid and it is important to see Scottish kids do well."

There will be a plethora of sides keen to sign the Red Devils prodigy, after he impressed on loan spells at Sheffield United and Aberdeen, and will be available at a cut-price fee from the English champions.