Manchester United wants Thierry Henry ahead of Dimitar Berbatov

Tottenham Hotspur's insistence on a British record transfer payment of £ 38 million for Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov has led Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to switch their attention to Barcelona Thierry Henry.

Although the lanky Berbatov, 27, Ferguson remains the number one choice to partner for Wayne Rooney in attack at Old Trafford next season, the manager has also developed a list of alternatives should continue to Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy play during the Hardball Bulgaria international, with Henry doubt, the left-most people on the ground.

The list of candidates is also said to include Blackburn Rovers against the man Roque Santa Cruz, who was aware of interest from the United States for six weeks and could virtually double his salary at Ewood Park, and Klaus Ajax striker Jan Huntelaar, Ferguson hoping to make Levy reflect on the consequences of not dealing with him.

The only time Arsenal captain, 30, would cost somewhere in the region of 15 million pounds after less than a remarkable debut season last time around Catalonia and Ferguson cree that Henry might be the perfect foil Rooney in attack, allowing the England international to return to his old, more successful, running in front of days.

Since he assumed at the Camp Nou queen earlier this summer, new Barca coach Josep Guardiola has not given any clear indication that, as such, is willing to participate with the international company in France, although the fact that Samuel Eto ' or has not left the club during the close season, as well as some appear at the end of last year, might well affect Henry decision-making, especially if another barren season out in the left wing awaits Catalonia.

However, although relations between the Spurs and glacial United Levy is a businessman and United if we withdraw, he can maintain a motivated player in White Hart Lane or try to make a deal with a less-than-fully interested Barcelona, hence, the rest largely the odds in favor of Berbatov row for the champions next season.

With Louis Saha on the verge of leaving the club, most likely in Monaco or Paris Saint-Germain, Ferguson needed a mechanism outside front and center, although the 'Theatre of Dreams'. Henry, Red or Berbatov all alternatives would be acceptable, but what impresses Ferguson is the ability of the Bulgarian record, something that undermines the progress of Cruz in Bayern Munich and has cast a shadow over the career of Henry in recent years.