Ferguson rules out Chicharito exit

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Chicharito will not be leaving Old Trafford this summer.

The Mexico international has scored eight goals in 15 Premier League matches this season but has struggled to cement a regular starting role ahead of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck.

Chicharito has been linked with moves to Juventus and Real Madrid at the end of the season, while Goal.com exclusively revealed in January that he was a target for Atletico Madrid should Radamel Falcao quit the club, but Ferguson insists he has no plans to let the 24-year-old leave.

“Javier (Hernandez) is on a ­long-term ­contract. We won’t be entertaining any interest. I speak to the players all the time, especially the ones who don’t play. I have said to Javier that it hasn’t been easy to leave him out because of his 16-goal tally,” he told reporters.

“If you look at the goals he has scored in terms of the games he has played, he has a brilliant record. He will always have that because he is a fantastic penalty-box player.

“But it’s difficult when you are up against a player of Robin van Persie’s form. Then we’ve got Welbeck, Rooney and (Shinji) Kagawa. That’s the benefit of having a strong squad. It’s given us an advantage.”

Ferguson believes Chicharito has acted differently from former Manchester United forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when placed on the bench, but insists the 24-year-old remains an important player at the club.

“Ole Gunnar (Solskjaer) was a very laid-back lad and he could handle not playing every week quite easily. Hernandez wants to play in every game. If his patience runs out that isn’t a problem for me. If players aren’t happy that’s great,” he said.

“I have no issues with the lad. He’s been brilliant, a breath of fresh air since he came here. He’s a really important player for us.

“He does something in every game. He changes things. He does something different to the other strikers we have.”