Spurs scouts plan for life without Berbatov

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been given all the encouragement he needed to launch a January move for Berbatov after the striker's agent, Emil Dantchev, admitted that the player wants to 'play for a club that can match his ambition'.

While Spurs chairman Daniel But now that signs are emerging that Tottenham's resolve is weakening, Ferguson is determined to be at the head of the queue for his top target.

Dantchev's admission that two clubs from outside the Barclays Premier League are also on the trail of Berbatov will mean Ferguson must act fast if he is to finally get his man.

Manchester City are also understood to be keen on Berbatov, but despite chairman Thaksin Shinawatra's millions, the Bulgarian's clear preference is Old Trafford.

However, competition from the likes of AC Milan, Inter Milan and Real Madrid is sure to drive up the price.

In addition, Levy's reputation for driving a hard bargain — he managed to prise £18.6million out of United for Michael Carrick 18 months ago— will mean Ferguson will have to dig deep if he is to fend off the competition.

Levy will be looking for a healthy profit on the player who cost £10.9m when he moved from Bayer Leverkusen, with a fee in the region of £25m the target.

But Ferguson's desire to add the skill and guile of Berbatov — who scored four goals in the 6-4 win against Reading on Saturday — to his already formidable forward line is such that he is determined to outbid even Europe's biggest clubs.

Levy insisted on Sunday that Spurs are 'not a selling club', behind the scenes the north London club are preparing for life without Berbatov. Tottenham's army of European scouts have been handed the unenviable task of finding a replacement by sporting director Damien Comolli — news that will be music to the ears of Ferguson.

The United boss had feared that Spurs would not be willing to sell in January under any circumstances.