Ferguson plotting new era at Manchester United

The case for a spring clean at Old Trafford is there for all to see. Sir Alex Ferguson has braced himself for the retirement of Edwin van der Sar and has ruled out a January loan move for David Beckham. There is a ruthlessness in Sir Alex Ferguson's planning at the moment – he has no time for sentiment (in regards to David Beckham) and is planning for life after Edwin van der Sar. This can only bode well for Manchester United. For all the great things David Beckham did for the club, he is not of the standard Manchester United are looking at - sentiment in football is dangerous.

Everybody at Old Trafford must accept that squads move on and players come to the end of their life span. Sir Alex Ferguson for years has remodelled squads, and has not been afraid to release good players if he felt their time was up. Granted, Edwin van der Sar is retiring but other players may be released by Ferguson in order for youngsters to emerge or to allow for new signings.

The signing of Anderson on a new long term, five year deal is the signal of intent that all Manchester United fans were looking for. With the imminent departures of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, Manchester United fans will always fear that there are not the players to take their place. Over the last few weeks, Anderson, has stepped up and has shown why Sir Alex Ferguson has so much faith in him. He has been sensational, he has given Manchester United a spark of energy that they had been missing in the first weeks of the season. If Anderson can keep this form up then Manchester United fans need not worry about the departure of Paul Scholes. Finally the man brought in to replace Scholes is starting to show that he is capable.

It is refreshing to see that Sir Alex Ferguson is not making the same mistakes he has in the past. When Peter Schmeichel quit in 1999, there was no natural successor or a replacement that Manchester United had highlighted. It was as if Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson didn't believe that Schmeichel would actually go. This time, Edwin van der Sar's replacement has been scouted for months. Goalkeeper coach, Eric Steele, has watched Anders Lindegaard more than seven times on scouting missions, and believes the Dane to be the man to replace the Dutchman. You have to trust your scouts, and that is exactly what Ferguson has done. If the player doesn't make the grade then that is life, but if Manchester United do not make proactive steps to make the transition from Edwin van der Sar to a new goalkeeper then that would be worse.

As well as this, the reality is if Ferguson wants to rejuvenate the squad he will have to look to the transfer window. That is an exciting thought for Manchester United fans. Ferguson will have to move into the transfer market to find young potential that will take the place of the potential that will be moved up a level. With the scouting system excelling in Portugal, Manchester United fans can be assured that everything is being done to find Europe's top players. Added to this, the potential of Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley and Mame Diouf, such a spring clean will allow the emmerging talent at Old Trafford to get a look in. There are only so many years players can go out on loan.

Sir Alex Ferguson can't stand still and watch his team break away piece by piece. As well as this, he can't make the same mistakes as Chelsea did last summer by allowing experienced players to leave without having the quality to fill their void. Manchester United need to tweak the squad, and bring in younger fresher faces, but  they don't have to be wholesale changes. Thankfully Ferguson is plotting a new era rather than allowing himself and Manchester United so stagnate.

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