Fergie: I would have understood if Berbatov had quit United after Champions League final snub

Dimitar Berbatov will continue to rebuild his Manchester United career with manager Sir Alex Ferguson admitting that he would not have blamed the striker for demanding to quit after he was left out of the Champions League final in May.

Berbatov broke down in tears on hearing the news and later revealed that he was so ‘ashamed’ at not making the bench that he hid in the Wembley dressing room and watched the game on television.

Positive attitude: Dimitar Berbatov has impressed his boss

It increased speculation that the Bulgarian would leave despite being joint top scorer in the Barclays Premier League last season.

But Ferguson has been impressed by his attitude since returning to training this month and will play him against Seattle Sounders confident that he has put the experience behind him.

Asked if he would have understood if Berbatov had asked to leave, Ferguson said: ‘Yes, I’d understand that, but you could say that about them all. There were seven or eight players disappointed at not being involved in the final. Berbatov will be all right. His training has been terrific and he’s a good person, a nice guy.

‘I don’t pick the same team every week, do I? I’ve only done that once in the last three years. So they understand it’s the squad that wins the games and wins the cups and I’ve got a good squad that will be used in exactly the same way.’

Ferguson admits that Berbatov has been the unfortunate victim of Javier Hernandez’s spectacular emergence.

He said: ‘Chicharito hit such good form that you had to put him in every game. It was unfortunate for Berbatov. It didn’t make him a bad player, he was just an unlucky player that this lad came in.’

One of the boys: Berbatov celebrates United's 19th title

Berbatov has been ruled out of the second match of United's US Tour as a precaution.

United's record signing suffered an ankle injury during Monday's training session at Nike's plush HQ in Portland and was unable to join his team-mates as they went through their paces at CenturyLink field ahead of the friendly with the Seattle Sounders.

Although Berbatov's injury is described as 'a knock', at such an early stage of pre-season, manager Ferguson will not want to take any risks.

Ferguson has already pledged not to involve any of this week's arrivals for the encounter against the MLS' best supported team, which is expected to attract in excess of 60,000.

That includes new keeper David de Gea, who looked impressive in training but may need to bulk up to cope with the rigours of Premier League combat, plus Phil Jones, already identified as a potential partner for Chris Smalling in the future, which Rio Ferdinand feels is a bit unfair to Jonny Evans

'You can't discount Jonny,' said Ferdinand.

Here's Jonny: Ferdinand has leapt to the defence of Evans

'It's a bit out of order that people have been saying it's definitely going to be Chris and Phil.

'Jonny's also one of the most talented central defenders in Great Britain.

'I'm sure all three of them will be battling it out in the future to play in the centre of defence.'

Ferdinand revealed that he has been approached about the potential for taking up a film role, although the 32-year-old is not interested in such a venture until his playing days are over.

The England international is very media savvy and he would have seen the scope for a picture when he joined respective skippers Nemanja Vidic and Kasey Keller for the pre-match coin toss at the top of Seattle's famous Space Needle.

More importantly, the match practice will take United's fitness forward another notch, although having pushed themselves through so many double training sessions, tiredness may be an issue against the Sounders.

The overall goals are much more protracted though, with Ferdinand feeling confident about United's chances of retaining their Premier League title.

'Definitely,' he said. 'We have got an experienced nucleus who have been here for four or five years and have won things consistently.

'That breeds confidence, which is invaluable.

'We have also added three hungry players who want to win trophies.'