Ferguson confirms departure

Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed recent speculation that he may carry on his current role of Manchester United manager, insisting that he still intends to retire in the summer.

Ferguson appeared to have hinted at the weekend that he might have been prepared to reconsider his decision and stay on for another year. He now claims his words were misinterpreted and says he will not be changing his mind.

"I'm going," he said. "That has been settled for some time now. I was asked by a reporter about my retirement and I said, as I would about anything, that you never know what might happen. That's true, but it doesn't mean I was thinking about changing my plans.

"I've said before that it's my intention to give up managing at the end of the season. That still goes. There are powerful reasons for the decision and those haven't changed."

The club had not thought Ferguson would have a change of heart and they are pressing ahead with the search for his successor. Their chief executive, Peter Kenyon, and the board have drawn up a list of candidates and will soon begin approaching them.

Paddy Harverson, United's director of communications, said: "As was always planned, we are about to embark on our search for a new manager. Nothing has changed." So far virtually all of the contenders for the job have ruled themselves out, including Sven Goran Eriksson, David O'Leary and Arsène Wenger.