Ferguson a step ahead

SIR Alex Ferguson delivered his post-Cristiano Ronaldo summer transfer business wish list to chief executive David Gill long before the World Player of the Year's departure for £80m was made official.

The United boss has known this exit was coming for some time.

It is likely that Fergie was resigned to losing him last summer when he managed to postpone the inevitable for 12 months with his flight to Lisbon.

Last September, it is alleged that Ronaldo's move to the Bernabeu was settled in principle when a pre-contract agreement was signed.

The Reds manager has had ten months to get his head around replacements.

The majority of United's core fans will not be shedding too many tears that Ronaldo has gone after six years' service.

His tiresome histrionics, moods and body language began to outweigh his wonderful ability and impact once he made it plain last summer that United was not his first love.

It is an incredible deal the Reds have struck considering Kaka went for £54m to the Bernabeu.

One concern for the fans though, is that the Glazer family's debt will be the beneficiary of the incoming bonus.

But Ferguson must be handed every last penny to keep United at the forefront and tackle the challenge of Barcelona and Real Madrid in Europe and the big four at home - plus City's money-no-object bid to gatecrash the elite.

And with the deal having been struck early, it gives United the chance to use the whole of the transfer window to their advantage.

David Gill will have already made discreet enquiries for new imports ahead of the announcement.

Transfer business at Old Trafford is done on a pyramid system where all targets are explored from top to bottom. If No 1 falls through the Reds move swiftly on to No 2.

So, who is likely to make up the pyramid?

Trading like-for-like is not always a feasible option when you lose a superstar but with the increasing possibility that Carlos Tevez will follow Ronaldo out of the door the identi-kit replacements will be attacking midfielders and/or prolific goalscoring hitmen.

With such massive gaps to fill it is also likely that proven headliners on the European and world stage will be identified as priorities.

But up-and-coming starlets will also feature.

Lyon's Karim Benzema has long been seen as the ideal choice up front. He's been on Fergie's 'noted' radar for a long time.

While the 21-year-old French international is prepared to stay with Lyon to further his education he is open to a rethink if his employers are willing to sell.

A £25m to £30m bid is expected to persuade the French club to part company ahead of schedule. Samuel Eto'o has also been linked with a surprise move to the Reds.

Franck Ribery is being pursued by a number of clubs. The Bayern Munich winger-cum-central midfielder also has goals in his armoury. Zinedine Zidane rates him the jewel of French football.

City are on his trail but most significantly so are Real and Barca.

It is understood that the two Spanish clubs are in the driving seat because Madame Ribery fancies a move south to warmer climes. Valencia's 27-year-old striker David Villa is another hot commodity this summer.

He is Spain's third all-time top scorer for the national team and has been a prolific hitman throughout La Liga.

The usual clutch of suspects including City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Madrid have him on the hit lists.

Possibly most significantly is the fact that Real's new purchase Kaka rates Villa the best player in Spain and has already said this season when he was at Milan that the Spaniard was the player he'd most like as a team-mate.

Were Real to add him to the list of new Galacticos then that could open the door for the departure from the Bernabeu of Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

He has only been at Real since the January transfer window when he signed from Ajax.

But that was in the pre-Florentino Perez era and two coaches ago.

The 25-year-old cost Real £18m and could be available at a similar fee. It is a cut-price option for a proven striker.

Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero is ex-Red Diego Forlan's sidekick and the 21-year-old Argentine has established himself as a decent finisher in La Liga.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic remains a huge enigma. The Swedish striker has struggled to bring his big game to the big occasions but this season he was Italian football's top goalscorer with 25 goals.

Still in Italy, Udinese currently employ one of the up and coming young strikers in Alexi Sanchez.

The 21-year-old Chilean is building a big reputation. United, of course, also have a £16m bid, along with Real, for Wigan's Antonio Valencia.

The Reds have a strong link with Brazilian football these days and the likes of Gremio's attacking midfielder, 18-year-old Douglas Costa, Santos's Naymar - dubbed the new Robinho - and 20-year-old Ciro of Sport Club all tick the boxes for Fergie as well.

United's feelers will have been spreading across the world since Ronaldo's future became obvious.

Now they'll be looking to close deals quickly to fill the void.