Sir Alex Ferguson has
described Nani as 'an incredible talent' but doesn't believe he will
make a return to the first team before mid-January. Photograph: Jon
Super/AP
Sir Alex Ferguson has denied that Nani will be sold during the January transfer window, though he did admit negotiations are ongoing with the Manchester United
winger. Ferguson stated that once Nani has recovered from his hamstring
injury he will again be in contention as he moved to deny reports the
Portuguese had played his last game for the club.
"He's injured," Ferguson told manutd.com. "His contract's not up for a year and a half. Yes, absolutely [he has a future at the club]. Why would I want to let him go? Obviously his people have been negotiating with [chief executive] David [Gill] about a new contract but I don't know what stage we are at with that. But we won't be letting him go.
"We need a Nani. He offers something different from the other players. He's an incredible talent, the boy's a great talent. Unfortunately, he's injured at the moment so we sent him over to Dubai for a break and hoping a bit of warmth will help him in his recovery. He's not far away but he's far enough away. I don't think I'll get him back until probably the middle of January.
"It's a hamstring injury he's got. A player like Nani has never had a hamstring injury ever – I don't think he's ever had many injuries with us. But he's got it right in the top and it's a bad one."
Regarding reports Ferguson will sign Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, he said: "It's nonsense. Absolute nonsense."
"He's injured," Ferguson told manutd.com. "His contract's not up for a year and a half. Yes, absolutely [he has a future at the club]. Why would I want to let him go? Obviously his people have been negotiating with [chief executive] David [Gill] about a new contract but I don't know what stage we are at with that. But we won't be letting him go.
"We need a Nani. He offers something different from the other players. He's an incredible talent, the boy's a great talent. Unfortunately, he's injured at the moment so we sent him over to Dubai for a break and hoping a bit of warmth will help him in his recovery. He's not far away but he's far enough away. I don't think I'll get him back until probably the middle of January.
"It's a hamstring injury he's got. A player like Nani has never had a hamstring injury ever – I don't think he's ever had many injuries with us. But he's got it right in the top and it's a bad one."
Regarding reports Ferguson will sign Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, he said: "It's nonsense. Absolute nonsense."
