Exeter v Manchester Utd: Kleberson, the first Brazilian to play for Manchester United, wants to leave England. He has started only 14 Premiership matches in 17 months and the club stand to lose in excess of £4 million from one of the most expensive mistakes of Alex Ferguson's reign.

Manchester United have already turned down a loan deal with Benfica, now managed by Giovanni Trapattoni, but Kleberson's dismal statistics have put United in a weak position as they seek a return on the £5.93 million they paid Atletico Paranaense in August 2003.

Ferguson confirmed there had been "a lot of inquiries" since the transfer window opened at the start of January but added there had been "nothing concrete" in terms of an offer. He has been informed there will be no transfer funds until several of his fringe players are moved on and, though he stopped short of admitting as much, he will have no objection to Kleberson leaving.

On the contrary, Ferguson has become increasingly irritated at the lack of consistency of a player who arrived with a World Cup winners' medal in his suitcase.

The Brazilian has told his advisers to find new employers and Ferguson will have little alternative but to write him off, like Juan Sebastian Veron and Diego Forlan, as another South American who has failed to settle.

"It's difficult to say what the situation is," the United manager said. "He's a terrific footballer, he's Brazilian and he wants to play in the first team."

Ferguson has no plans, for the time being at least, to offload Eric Djemba-Djemba, the Cameroon midfielder who has struggled at the club. His performances have been almost as disappointing as Kleberson's but Ferguson seems prepared to give him longer to prove himself and is expected to play him in tonight's FA Cup third-round replay at Exeter City.

Ferguson, declaring that he wants "a peaceful life" and is untroubled by the escalation of his row with Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger, is taking no chances of exposing United to the possibility of a shock.

Whereas he fielded a mix of youth and reserve players against Exeter 10 days ago, his travelling party will be virtually full-strength. The fit-again Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs may feature. Roy Keane will be the only first-team player to be rested.

Rio Ferdinand is still troubled by a hamstring strain while Gabriel Heinze has a cold and Alan Smith damaged ankle ligaments in the last minute of the League Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge last week. That could be a setback if it keeps him out of United's visit to Arsenal on February 1st but Ferguson is entitled to believe that tonight his team should have no difficulty in sealing a fourth-round tie at home to Middlesbrough.

"There was a bit of embarrassment about it," he said of the 0-0 draw with Exeter at Old Trafford. "Sometimes you get criticised and don't deserve it but we couldn't escape criticism on that occasion.

"The two positives are that we're still in the cup and, secondly, it was fantastic for the cup and fantastic for Exeter. I thought their manager (Alex Inglethorpe) was magnificent in the way he handled it and the way he put himself across, particularly for such a young man.

"Their team played with great enthusiasm, they were well organised and above all they were extremely fair. At the final whistle there was none of the hand jibes or jumping up and down that you sometimes get. In my office too, when he came for a drink, there was no euphoria. He and Steve Perryman (the director of football) were terrific."