"Fergiuson can spend what he likes"

Manchester United chief executive David Gill says there are no restrictions on Sir Alex Ferguson in the transfer market.

The club endured a troubled season off the pitch with many supporters joining the "green and gold" campaign criticising the approach of the Glazers, who own United.

Last summer there was discontent when United sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80million but failed to re-invest all of the the cash in Ferguson's squad.

They spent around a quarter of that on the likes of Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan, but that didn't satisfy the supporters' thirst for a big-name signing.

Gill though, speaking in an interview with The Independent, described that green and gold campaign as "a minority", and says Ferguson does have plenty of cash to spend.

He said: "The money is there. People say Alex is saying that because he has to. Anyone who knows Alex Ferguson knows he wouldn't say that if he didn't mean what he said. The money is definitely there. The results for the quarter ending 31 March (released today) will show the figures are about £95million cash."

Many people see United as second-class citizens now in the transfer market behind the likes of neighbours City and Real Madrid.

But Gill added: "We are not in a situation whereby Alex is restricted in what he wants to do with the club and his modus operandi as a manager. We have never said: 'You can't do that, we have to pay interest (on the debt).'

" I can look you in the eye and say that. He would say exactly the same thing. People don't believe it. We never said to him: 'You can't go for that player because he's too much'."