Sir Alex Ferguson claims Wesley Sneijder would not be the right man to replace Paul Scholes at Manchester United, insisting that only Barcelona stars Xavi and Andres Iniesta would be up to the job.
Sneijder, 27, was repeatedly linked to a move from Inter Milan to Old Trafford over the summer but the proposed transfer never materialised.
And now Ferguson has claimed the Netherlands international was not the right type of player to fill the void left by veteran Scholes, who retired at the end of last season.
"Sneijder is not the ideal replacement for Scholes," Ferguson said. "He's a fantastic player but he was not who we were looking for to replace Scholes. Only Xavi and Iniesta are comparable to Scholes."
With Scholes and Gary Neville hanging up their boots, Ferguson has put faith in the likes of Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, and Ferguson admits he is enjoying the challenge of building a young side.
"It's very easy for me because I always look forward," Ferguson said. "There is no doubt about who is the manager of United. I am the coach: today, tomorrow and the day after. I can work in the short and long term.
"Of course, it becomes very difficult to separate from a player who has built a family relationship. But I have to focus on young players and try out other teams, to find someone equal or better than those who left."
Meanwhile, Sneijder has again spoken of his belief that he was close to joining Manchester United.
Asked whether he would have been keen on a move to Old Trafford, he told Corriere dello Sport: "I would have liked to. It would be crazy to suggest otherwise.
"There was a moment when I was close to United, but in the end nothing happened. However, I am happy in Milan as the president did not want to sell me.
"Inter gave me a chance when the door was closed. I feel at home here and I never wanted to go. I don't know why my move to Manchester United never materialised - maybe they never really wanted me."
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