Man U to use financial muscle

Manchester United will use soccer's financial crisis to regain their grip on the English game, the club's chief executive Peter Kenyon warned their English premier league rivals.

The crisis was highlighted last week by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who said the transfer market had come to a standstill because of a shortage of money among the top European clubs.

European champions Real Madrid have said they will not be making any off-season signings and Inter Milan's Ronaldo, Christian Vieri and Alvaro Recoba have offered to take pay cuts.

But Manchester United have recently signed a 300 million pound ($466.8 million) kit deal with sportswear giants Nike and Kenyon was quoted as saying on Monday they will use the extra cash to take advantage of the depressed state of the transfer market.

"We are cash-rich and work on a well-resourced basis. That's helped us to do as well as we have over the past decade on and off the pitch," Kenyon told the Daily Mirror newspaper.

"The transfer market is as tight as it has ever been. That's been driven by the biggest clubs in what have traditionally been the biggest-spending countries - Italy and Spain - not having the money they have had in the past.

"The consequence of that is that there has not been a lot of activity by normal standards, with clubs looking to sell rather than buy.

"We're not in that position. Clearly we are not going to overspend. Then again in the market-place as it is there is no need to do that, because the players are already on the market."

Kenyon added that his club would not rushed into panic buys even if Leeds United defender Rio Ferdinand opted to stay at Elland Road and not move to Manchester.

Ferdinand has said he will decide on Tuesday whether to accept or turn down a possible 35 million pound ($54.5 million) move to United.

"Getting the defence right was very much the priority. If you look at the size of our squad it's not about having to bring in lots of players. It is about quality rather than quantity," Kenyon said.

"If you are looking to sign world-class players it always longer than if you're just bringing in a utility player.

"There is no panicking with us. It's about getting the best players. We don't believe in buying players for one season or to get us over a short-term situation. It is about making sure we get the right players who are the right age and are going to continue to give us what we need for a few seasons not just one campaign."