DIMITAR Berbatov is United's £22m top target as Sir Alex Ferguson ponders whether to splash the cash in a bid to get the champs back to winning ways.

The Reds' boss is aware of the behind-the-scenes bust-up between the Bulgarian striker and his Spurs boss Martin Jol. And the 26-year-old wasn't happy when his international team-mate and good friend Martin Petrov opted for City rather than Tottenham with Sven-Goran Eriksson wooing him to Sportcity with a £60,000-a-week package.

With Wayne Rooney, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo all out of action at the moment, United's strikepower is severely depleted especially as Guiseppe Rossi and Alan Smith have been sold.

The Reds have only scored three goals in their last nine competitive matches and are well off the pace with only two points from three Premier League games.

Berbatov, who is suffering with a groin injury, has been upset by events at White Hart Lane over the past few weeks and is still unsure Spurs can give him the Champions League football he craves for.

The Bulgarian's agent, Emil Dantchev, has since had to deny that Berbatov fell out with under-pressure manager Jol amid reports the Dutchman went to the board demanding the striker be sold.

Improved

But talks over a new, improved contract, which began near the end of last season, have stopped and only two months ago Berbatov revealed his dream of playing for United.

He said: "Of course I like Sir Alex's team. Their style is attacking and pleasant to watch and it coincides with my own style of playing football. Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney are fantastic players and that fast guy Cristiano Ronaldo on the right side is a magician with the ball. He plays football from another planet. Of course, it would be a pleasure for me to play with these guys. They simply know how to have fun on the pitch."

Berbatov scored 23 goals in his first season in English football having joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen for £10.9m. If Spurs resist United's overtures Fergie will switch his attention to another Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, Nicolas Anelka at Bolton or even check-out the availability of Newcastle duo Michael Owen and Obafemi Martens.

Meanwhile, Tomasz Kuszczak could find himself in the firing line for United on Sunday as Fergie sweats on a fitness report on Edwin van der Sar.

The veteran Dutchman failed to play any part in his country's friendly defeat to Switzerland in Geneva on Wednesday night after injuring his left foot in a training ground collision.

While the damage was not serious enough to force Van der Sar into an immediate flight back to the north west, he must be a major doubt for Spurs' visit to Old Trafford.

If Van der Sar does not make it, Kuszczak will step in for only his seventh league start since arriving from West Brom at the start of last term.

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