Reds' Loyalty Bonus

Sir Alex feels the club's faith in nurturing young talent over the years has led to a unique loyalty which will continue to stand the Reds in good stead in the future.

The boss has added three more budding stars to his squad this summer following the arrival of Mexican striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, defender Chris Smalling and Portuguese attacker Bebe.

And Sir Alex is hoping the trio will follow in the footsteps of some of the club's most decorated servants.

"Having young players does introduce a loyalty and a spirit that will serve us well," he said.

"You see that with Giggs, Scholes and Neville. Maybe they are rare examples to talk about. But they are examples - and good examples.

"We feel the same in the case of John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher, Wes Brown - Darren has been at the club since he was 12. That is 14 years. You don't think that. You think he is still a young player. Wes has been with us since he was 10. He is 30 now.

"Young players develop if you are looking after them properly. I think they do that very well. They do have a good loyalty because they appreciate the education you give them as coaches."

Developing potential is, Sir Alex says, simply the norm at Old Trafford and an intrinsic trait which the club are extremely proud of.

"How we treat players is important," he added. "It is difficult to understand what other clubs think. We are just the type of club who can do it.

"The foundations of the club were built on young people, going back to the 1950s. It has not really left. It has always been there. Maybe the difference is that other clubs don't have the consistency in manager and staff that Manchester United has. Maybe that is the distinction."