Liverpool are opportunists - Ferguson

Liverpool are thought to have bid around £7million for United's Argentina defender - meeting a valuation agreed by letter between player and club - but Ferguson has refused to do business with rival boss Rafael Benitez.

The prospect of legal action remains in the air, but Ferguson told the Daily Mail: "He's our player, that's the important thing. He's not Liverpool's player, despite them going on like he's their player. He's got two years left on his contract, if he completes his contract and then leaves at the end of it, that's fine by us. We'll have had five good years out of him."

Referring the Reds' surprise move for the defender - only Phil Chisnall has moved from Old Trafford to Anfield in modern times - Ferguson insisted that agents could be responsible.

"Liverpool are opportunists, like the rest of them. The agent has obviously presented them with a situation and they've looked at it.

"If an agent came to me with a letter saying (Steven) Gerrard was available for a certain fee, I would do the same.

"I think the role of the agent is very, very doubtful here. There's no question about that," he added.

"David (Gill, chief executive) and I have had countless meetings with these people. But they are just impossible."