Sir Alex Ferguson: Deal out of our reach

On the day Zinedine Zidane joined Real Madrid from Juventus for a staggering pounds 45.8million Sir Alex Ferguson admitted: "We'll never be able to compete."

He insists Manchester United will always lose out to the Spanish giants in the race for the world's biggest stars.

Even though Fergie expects to complete the pounds 23.4million British transfer record signing of Juan Sebastian Veron within the next two days he knows Real are in a different league.

But he does not agree with the axiom that money guarantees success - as Bayern Munich showed Real in May by capturing the European Cup.

The Germans operate an unbelievably tight ship. Their transfer record has still not broken the pounds 5million mark - less than First Division Wimbledon.

Real, meanwhile, have broken the bank to assemble arguably the world's greatest squad, which also includes Roberto Carlos and Raul.

Ferguson said: "I think we have come to accept that we can't compete with the buying mentality of clubs like Real."

"Their situation is altogether unusual. They were pounds 160million in debt when their town council go and buy their training ground for pounds 210million and then build them a new one."

"It is the local council's way of saying they can't afford Real to go bankrupt. It doesn't matter how ambitious I am, or the club. You can't compete with that sort of mentality."