Ferguson rules out panic buys for United

Ferguson: Faces a depleted squad (AP)

Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, insists he will not panic buy during next month's transfer window.

A knee injury has ended Nemanja Vidic's season and Darren Fletcher is taking an extended break for health reasons. With Anderson sidelined by a long-term knee problem and Javier Hernandez and Tom Cleverley also out of action – as well as Michael Owen and Fabio da Silva – United's resources are stretched. But Ferguson insists he will not buy "unless someone appears we have always been interested in".

United were knocked out of the Champions League following defeat to Basle, and their growing injury list prompted former midfielder Paul Ince to say they need to buy a striker. However, asked if he would bolster his squad in the new year, Ferguson said: "Not necessarily. I don't know why people keep going on about it."

Fletcher has not played for three weeks, an absence United had put down to a virus. However, this week the club confirmed he was suffering from ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.

"We spoke about a virus to protect Darren but it got to the point [where] people were delving," said Ferguson. "It was getting uncomfortable so we decided to make it public. That was the big decision. He has been in hospital for a few days."

Ferguson revealed that striker Dimitar Berbatov is fit after ankle trouble and reserve team midfielder Paul Pogba could also feature in tomorrow lunchtime's game with Queen's Park Rangers at Loftus Road.