Sir Alex Ferguson has identified three summer transfer targets to bolster his title-winning Manchester United squad.

Ferguson maybe still basking in the glory of a ninth Premiership crown but already the Scot's mind has drifted towards next season, when he expects Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal to provide a stiff challenge to the Red Devils newly-reclaimed domestic supremacy.

And he has told chief executive David Gill the trio of new faces he believes will give United their best chance of finishing top of the pile again next term.

"We have outlined three targets and David Gill is aware of them," said Ferguson.

"As everyone knows, there is competition for the best players and when there is competition, it costs, so we will just have to wait and see."

Ferguson refused to go public with the names of the players United will go for but Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves will certainly be one, with Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov also believed to be near the top of his list.

While Spurs boss Martin Jol may be unwilling to part with Berbatov 12 months after selling Michael Carrick to United, the blow may be softened by the arrival in return of Louis Saha, whose United days appear to be numbered.

If rumours of a Juventus move for Gabriel Heinze prove correct then young Southampton defender Gareth Bale, whom Ferguson targeted during the last transfer window, can also expect to be on the United manager's hit-list.

However, in the knowledge that Chelsea are bound to splash the cash this summer in a bid to overhaul his side, Ferguson is keen to do his business quietly.

"Manchester United has always been an attraction," he said.

"We have 76,000 people watching us every week and have a celebrity status which means we are known throughout the world.

"It is not a question of attracting players. The real competition comes when Chelsea pay £27million for someone like Michael Essien. They can outbid us all.

"We identify players as quietly as we can so we can do things quickly.

"It is not easy, but that is what we are trying to do."