Sir Alex Ferguson has handed Michael Owen the Manchester United number seven shirt - and declared Old Trafford closed for transfer business.

It was anticipated Ferguson would make further signings in addition to Owen, Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan, who joined last week from Bordeaux.

But, faced with a market over-inflated by Real Madrid and Manchester City, Ferguson has decided his current squad is good enough to challenge for an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title, even though Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez have left.

He said: “It is the end of our business, so all these stories about who we are supposed to be getting - forget it.”

It means Owen will take over Ronaldo’s shirt and his place in an attacking line-up containing Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, plus youngsters Daniel Welbeck and Federico Macheda, who will both be given a chance to prove they are worthy of the accolades that have been bestowed on them.

“They are both young players - but young players with ability always get a chance here.”

Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud has revealed that winger Gabriel Obertan is on the verge of signing for Manchester United.

The highly rated 20-year-old became a regular for Les Girondins at the just 17 but last season found chances hard to come by under former Red Devils defender Laurent Blanc.

The French Under-21 international was loaned out to fellow Ligue 1 side Lorient for the second half of last season where he featured 15 times scoring just the one goal.

Arsenal, Inter and AC Milan are said to have been interested in the youngster but it appears United have won the race for his signature for an undisclosed fee.

“There is a very strong likelihood that the deal will go ahead,” confirmed Triaud to L’Equipe.

“Manchester United want to sign him and, for our part, we would be delighted to see Gabriel playing for such a prestigious club.

“We will make the official announcement when the time is right,”