Sir Alex Ferguson (File)

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London - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed reports his club could sign Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard in the January transfer window.

England midfielder Lampard has struggled to maintain a place in the Chelsea starting XI this season and United need cover in midfield after a series of injuries.

But Ferguson said on Friday the chances of signing Lampard were slim, at best.

"Do you really think Chelsea would sell to United in January?" he told a press conference.

"There's no foundation in that. Chelsea want to do something in the second half of the season so they want to keep their best players."

"What can you get in January? The players we'd like, we can't get. If the alternative is to sign a second-rate player, we don't want to do that.

"Our injuries have led to fans wanting us to sign someone but I don't want to sign a player who won't get a game when everyone's fit because he's not good enough."

United, who take on Manchester City in the FA Cup third round this weekend, are three points behind their local rivals in the Premier League after back-to-back defeats by Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.