Berbatov can be an asset for a top club, insists Fergie

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Dimitar Berbatov will leave Manchester United during the summer with a ringing tribute from Sir Alex Ferguson. 

The 31-year-old Bulgaria striker, signed from Tottenham for £30million on transfer deadline day nearly four years ago, is unhappy because he cannot be guaranteed a first-team place at Old Trafford. 

Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and his former club, Bayer Leverkusen, are ready to fight for his signature, and Sir Alex said: 'Berba is a top, top player who has years left at the highest level.'

Memorable among his four Premier League hat-tricks, the last coming against Wigan on Boxing Day last year, was when he became the first non- Englishman to score five goals in a league match, in the 7-1 defeat of Blackburn in November 2010 - the season he shared the Golden Boot with Carlos Tevez. 

But the Bulgarian, since being left out of Sir Alex's squad for last year's European Cup final - which United lost 3-1 to Barcelona - has made only spasmodic first-team appearances, mainly off the bench. 

Ferguson has preferred the likes of Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez partnering Wayne Rooney. 

'The boss is very reluctant to lose a player of Berbatov's calibre - but he recognises he cannot offer him first-team football every week,' said a United source

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