Last Updated: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 08:50
Manchester United could be set to make a summer swoop on Fulham for highly-rated playmaker Moussa Dembele.
Ferguson was scouring the market for a quality central midfield player last summer when Paul Scholes confirmed that he had retired from football at the end of last season.
Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder and Luka Modric of Tottenham were both mooted as potential targets, but no deals materialised and United were left struggling to fill that department in the first half of this season.
Scholes eventually performed a U-turn and came out of retirement in January to boost United's bid to win a 20th championship title this season, while there is a possibility he could stay on for another 12 months.
However, Ferguson is busy looking for a long-term solution and a reports over the weekend claimed he is setting his sights on Belgian starlet, Dembele.
The 24-year-old was signed from AZ Alkmaar as a striker by former Cottagers boss Mark Hughes in summer 2010, but he has struggled to score goals with just four in the Premier League to date.
Martin Jol came in and has moved Dembele to a midfield role where he has excelled this season and it seems has attracted the attention of Ferguson.
The Dutch tactician has already said he wants to hold onto Dembele for as long as possible and has snubbed bids of £6million and £10m from Tottenham for his signature.
However, with the player stating his desire to play Champions League football in the future, it is thought an offer of £12million could tempt the Londoners into a summer sale.
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