Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is planning a summer move for Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik.

The Telegraph says the United manager has played down the prospects of player recruitment in January, but the question marks over the long-term future of the quartet have prompted the Scot to identify rising talent that can be secured at acceptable prices.

Slovakia international Hamsik, rated at £25 million by Napoli, has been the subject of intensive scouting since the turn of the year and the 22 year-old has been credited as the driving force behind his country’s World Cup qualification.