Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted his great admiration for Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov.

Ferguson described the Spurs man as a "marvellous player", but admitted that it was highly unlikely he would sign for Manchester United before the transfer window closes tonight.

The United manager revealed that he had "looked on the market" following the injuries his squad have suffered at the start of the season but said he did not want to "dive in" and make a mistake at this late stage.

However the interest in Berbatov is clear with Ferguson impressed by the Bulgarian's performance at Old Trafford last Sunday.

"When Tottenham were in gear it was through Berbatov really," he told Setanta Sports. Ferguson refused to confirm that he had made a bid. "I won't go into that," he said. He maintained that the United squad has "enough quality" for the campaign.