Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed suggestions that Manchester United will attempt to sign Chelsea's Frank Lampard this January.

With United losing a number of key midfielders to injury, it had been speculated that they could bid for Lampard - who is said to be unsettled at Chelsea, where he is no longer assured of a first-team place under André Villas-Boas. Ferguson, however, rejected the idea out of hand.

"Do you really think Chelsea would sell to United in January?" he is quoted as saying on Manchester United's club website. "There's no foundation in that. Chelsea want to do something in the second half of the season so they want to keep their best players."

Ferguson also moved to play down expectations of other signings in the present transfer window. "What can you get in January?" he said. "The players we'd like, we can't get. If the alternative is to sign a second-rate player, we don't want to do that.

"Our injuries have led to fans wanting us to sign someone but I don't want to sign a player who won't get a game when everyone's fit because he's not good enough."