How will Ronaldo's departure affect Manchester United?

Am I disappointed that Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to move to Madrid? Yes. Do I think it will hurt United in the short term? Ditto. Does that mean United will slip up next season? That's a completely different question but one that followers of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool appear very keen to link to the first two, leading them to deductions that don't withstand scrutiny when weighed up against the evidence of history.

At the end of the 1994-95 season, Alex Ferguson sold Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis. There was an immediate outcry amongst some of the United faithful, who hadn't quite, at that stage, cemented their belief in the manager's keen eye for talent. Elsewhere, Liverpool legend Alan Hansen went down in history for that famous jibe that went something like: "You'll never win anything with kids." We all know what happened. The kids - Scholes, Beckham, the Nevilles, Butt and even Giggs who was just 22 at the time - played no mean part as United regained the title they had lost to Blackburn a year earlier.

A few seasons later came the departure of Eric Cantona, who had been the catalyst in United's re-emergence amongst the elite after 26 seasons without the league title. The Frenchman had also been the inspiration and guiding light for Fergie's Fledglings (the ones dismissed by Hansen as 'kids'). Again, the naysayers were out in force, predicting United's demise. Not quite. After a brief season-long hiatus during which Arsenal were crowned champions, United went on to capture three Premierships in a row, the first of which formed a third of the treble that included the Champions' League and the FA Cup.

The next 'irreplaceable' player to leave The Shrine was Roy Keane, a living legend whose name continues to be sung with the same gusto as ever at the Stretford End. That was the end of the dynasty, said the doom and gloom merchants. Instead, United went on to complete another hat-trick of Premiership wins, the middle one being embellished with a second Champions' League crown under Ferguson.

Now, the current FIFA World Player of the Year and, as I've said elsewhere, potentially the best player in the world bar none, has left to fulfil the wishes of his late father, whose dream it was to see his son don the Real Madrid shirt. Once more, the ether is filled with exuberant noises from North and West London and the red half of Merseyside.

Will their optimism be justified this time around?

The speed with which United accepted Madrid's bid for Ronaldo - it took less than two hours from offer to acceptance - indicates they were prepared for it. It can also be surmised that their scouting network would've been alerted to the possibility several months earlier.

That network has plucked some gems over the past year or three. The exciting Da Silva brothers look like they'll fill the full-back roles for some time to come. Federico Macheda has looked the goods during his first-team appearances this season, as has Danny Welbeck, whose own debut goal, a thirty-yard scorcher against Stoke, was as special as Macheda's injury-time screamer against Villa. Goran Tosic, the 22-year-old Serbian winger signed in mid-season, is a free-kick specialist. His compatriot Adem Ljajic, 18 in September, is due to move to Manchester next season and is reported to be one of the most talented youngsters in Eastern Europe. Then there's the likes of Davide Petrucci, a creative midfielder signed, when 16, from Roma a year ago, and Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo Possebon, who is developing well under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tutelage in the reserves.

United's defence, with Ferdinand and Vidic in the middle, is fairly solid. Jonny Evans will be a star and 17-year-old Corry is said to be more gifted than his brother. Another 17-year-old central defender, a Brazilian named Dodo, is set to sign soon. In goal, Ben Foster could well be the next long-term England No.1.

The media has, quite predictably, been speculating about which big-name player Ferguson will sign to try and replace Ronaldo but what United need most of all is a defensive midfielder of the highest pedigree, given the continuing injury problems that Owen Hargreaves is having to endure. That was the area where United were so brilliantly exposed by the magnificient Barca duo of Iniesta and Xavi in the Champions' League Final in Rome. Personally, I would gladly swap Carlos Tevez for Javier Mascherano. Perhaps Rafa Benitez could be tempted?

Further forward, Ronaldo's departure should finally convince Ferguson to build his attack around Rooney, who has always looked a natural 'No.10' to me, at his best when floating in that dangerous space between the opposing midfield and defence. That's where he has been brilliant for England lately and it's time he was given the the same role for good at United. To partner him, I'm hoping Ferguson will be able to persuade Lyon's Karim Benzema to bring forward his projected departure from Ligue 1 by a year. At 22, he is close to the finished article and has the strength and technique to be the perfect foil for Rooney.

Elsewhere on the transfer front, it's more than likely that the players Ferguson brings in will have been very low, if not nowhere, on the radar of tabloid journalists who dream up transfer tittle-tattle during what is aptly named the silly season. Who picked the capture of the likes of the Da Silva twins, Nani, Anderson, Tosic and Ljajic - or even Ronaldo himself six years ago?

This time around, Brazilian teenager Douglas Costa and Argentine Javier Pastore are reported to have been monitored closely by United's increasingly successful South American scouting network.

So, don't be surprised if Ferguson invests the Madrid money on youth once more.

I'm beginning to wonder whether someone will then be tempted to reprise Hansen's comment from fourteen summers ago.