Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson regrets the lack of African signings he's managed to make.

Only Angolan Manucho Goncalves is currently part of United's squad and Ferguson told The Vanguard: "I wish we could sign more African players, but somehow we don't seem to capture the ones we want to get.

"(Michael) Essien was with us at 16 years of age, and (Sulley) Muntari. But we couldn't get work permits for them.

"Then they both went back to Ghana, and then Essien went to Bastia as a centre-half. He came to us as a centre-half way back then. And Lyon signed him as a centre-half and then made him a midfield player.

"Then Chelsea came for him and the price they were prepared to pay for him, we couldn't agree that kind of price."

Ferguson added: "But we have a scout now in Ghana and we are trying to develop that part.

"It's not easy because it's such a big continent. We also now have a scouting network in Angola and within a few weeks of that, they recommended Manucho. It is tough but we'll keep looking for the best players from all over the world, including Africa".