Ferguson is not prepared to be held to ransom for Berbatov and is already considering other options. He has tracked Huntelaar since the Holland international moved to Ajax in January 2006, and is plotting a bid of about £16m.
Huntelaar, meanwhile, has admitted the prospect of working with new Ajax coaches Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp could convince him to stay.
"That's correct," the Eredivisie's top scorer told Ajax Life, the magazine of the official Ajax supporters club. "I admire them for what they have achieved.
"For me as a striker it's the creme de la creme to work with.
"They are two former strikers from whom I can learn a lot. I am open to that. Such a thing can become very important when I make up my mind a few weeks from now."
