After becoming Champions League winners in 1999 the United boss spent just £10m on minor adjustments to his Treble squad.
Goalkeepers Mark Bosnich was signed on a free transfer from Aston Villa and Massimo Taibi cost £4.5m from Venezia in a bid to replace Peter Schmeichel.
The Reds invested £4m in Mikael Silvestre from Inter Milan and £2m in Quinton Fortune from Atletico Madrid.
But the historic side never hit the European heights again.
Ferdinand, who captained United to success in Moscow, believes the 2008 League and European winners have to be strengthened even further.
"We have to build on this now. I think the manager will be busy in the transfer market this summer and adding to an already great squad," he said.
"It would be criminal to throw away this achievement and not build on it.
"I would be very disappointed if this was the last major trophy we won. I know that's being greedy and we are you are expecting a lot of yourselves but you look around the changing room every day and on the training pitch you cannot help but have expectations like that.
Hungry
"There is no doubt in my mind that the lads in this team are hungry.
"When you have inspirational people like Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs sitting in our dressing room who have won so many trophies and eight Premiership titles each but still want more, if that cannot be an inspiration to go on and achieve again what we have done this season then I don't know what can be.
"It was great that young players like Nani and Anderson had the bottle to stand up and take penalties.
"That was fantastic and speaks volumes for the squad and the type of players the manager brings to the club. He buys players with big hearts who want to do well."
The 29-year-old England defender was skipper in Moscow but made sure Ryan Giggs joined him on the presentation platform to lift the trophy.
"It's the stuff of dreams for me," he added.
"Who'd have thought when I was playing for Chadwell Heath and cleaning Harry Redknapp's boots at West Ham that one day I would lead a team out in the Champions League final and then walk those stairs to pick up the trophy.
"It was also only right that Giggsy was up there to do it as well because he is Manchester United. He has overtaken Sir Bobby Charlton's appearance the record and it is a shame he will probably be appreciated more when he retires.
"It is great to have him in our squad and great for him to break the record in a winning team.
"Van the man became the hero and I have always been told you get out of the game what you put into it and Edwin has put a lot of hard work and hours in in training," said Ferdinand.
"He's been on the losing side in quite a few big games in his career so this was great for him to be the hero."
Ferdinand added a warm tribute to Sir Bobby.
"Sir Bobby was very emotional in the dressing room afterwards," he said. "The most poignant thing for me was Bobby coming up to me and saying `well done, you deserved it'. You could see he was really pleased for the lads."
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Mushhhty (23/05/2008 at 09:25)
The Strolling Mac (23/05/2008 at 09:39)
THAT BOY RONALDO, Manchester (23/05/2008 at 09:50)
Mullum Mick, Australia (23/05/2008 at 09:59)
Mullum Mick
Mullum Mick, Australia (23/05/2008 at 10:10)
manu fan, Old Trafford (23/05/2008 at 10:17)
we need to strengthen. i think we need a fast skilful striker somone like torres and tree potenitl worl class players. were gonner lode piqua so we need a defender.
some one like essian would be nice.
all we know is europe will proberly be stronger next season. chelsa will let alot of players go and will try to buy success.
my replacement for piqua would have to be micha richards
george (23/05/2008 at 10:29)
We won a match that ebbed and flowed and was competitive thoughout.Had we gone 3-0 up the game would not have highlighted the areas where we need to strengthen.So;in that aspect the game was most helpful!
It's not often you play a game of this magnitude that you win and learn.Chelski played flat out and we were strong enough to come thru.
The areas of weakness have been recognised.The next problem might be that some players might feel they've achieved their life ambition and ease up.Anyway SAF will sort it!
Robbo, N2409 (23/05/2008 at 10:39)
Mick, Dublin (23/05/2008 at 10:51)
Masochists, I guess.
GC Northstand (23/05/2008 at 11:07)
Kept in for an hour after the game but never noticed, well done the Mancs we were magnificent.
GC Northstand (23/05/2008 at 11:08)
We were kept in for an hour after the game but never noticed, well done the Mancs we were magnificent.
Sammy Salmon, Whitegate, Cheshire (23/05/2008 at 11:22)
chris spence, Altrincham (23/05/2008 at 12:00)
a level head (23/05/2008 at 12:10)
The strikers we already have should be given a reasonable chance to perform from the bench next season i.e. Manucho, Wellbeck and Campbell. Give them a go.
Sterling, Salford (23/05/2008 at 12:16)
vij, london (23/05/2008 at 12:24)
manu fan, Old Trafford (23/05/2008 at 12:41)
i would love to see , ashley young next season he would be great for set peices
rio and vidic would score so much more.
i have failed to notice how we could match the power of chelsa. we need more power in midfelied and flecher needs to start peeking i truly belive he can be class
what do you guys think of these guys how would you strenhthen this squad.
i think it's strange that we are all talking about next season we really should savouir this it's not going to be like this forvever.
REDFORLIFE (23/05/2008 at 12:48)
manu fan, Old Trafford (23/05/2008 at 12:59)
The futures of Louis Saha and Gerard Pique have also come in for scrutiny, but Ferguson insists he is not intending to break up his current squad over the summer.
He added: "We will not be moving anyone out.
"It is not something I have even thought about.
"I just need to look at the squad and know I have enough cover for next season as we have three extra games, one in the Super Cup and two in the World Club Championship to cope with."
as bad as saha has been he might come good again but we should still buy a class striker for insurance what do you guys think ill be back late on to night got work
george (23/05/2008 at 13:38)
You are the kind of person who would buy the 11 best players in the world only to then realise you have worst team on the planet. Football is about more than eye catching party tricks! Hargreaves and Vidic were fantastic on Wednesday and the team itself gave their all.If you think UNITED would be stronger by offlaoding Carrick and Hargreaves;I don't think many will agree.
SAPPER, MANCHESTER (23/05/2008 at 13:40)
Strolling mac does have a point the margins for success and failure are small and at times in the second half we were living on luck and we to would have been disappointed not to have won having hit the post and bar.
With regard to the penalties exactly what happened to Terry could have happened to anyone as UEFA should be ashamed of themselves for having the game on a pitch that was not fit for such a final, EVS was slipping all the time also other players were to, but the only ones slipping most were the ones who chose blades which shold be banned bacause as soon as you tilt over on the side they fail to grip even the best surface.
May I also make a comment about peter Chech and commend him on his actions when Nani and Cole clashed heads he immediatly went to check that he was OK and had no swallowed his tongue or anything more serious.
With regard to buying I still think we need about 3 or 4 players I Would try to get Frank Ribery, Royston Drenthe, and Alves, and another forward.
With regard to Danny Welbeck NO maybe after he has been out on loan somewhere but at present he his not up to it, and to put him in could ruin him, also we let a better player go in ROSSI, who had it all.
With regard to Ronaldo going if he wants to let him. but if he does not the let him also come out and say he want to stay regardless of the what the future holds.
One question I would like answered is why he did not play his usual game not once did he go over to the right against Cole, WHY???
edinburgh red, edinburgh (23/05/2008 at 14:00)
george (23/05/2008 at 14:07)
UNITED victory in Moscow really ought to lead to a completely different scenario.Big cities have carnivals all the time.You would've thought this joyous occasion probably when office staff and shop staff had gone home would've shown the City in it's best light.
Thankyou Glasgow Rangers and Silly Councillors!
Marc Young (23/05/2008 at 14:12)
Steve, Glossop (23/05/2008 at 14:16)