Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out a sensational move to bring veteran defender Sol Campbell to Old Trafford in January.

Campbell, 35, was linked with a shock move to the Premier League champions this week as United are currently beseiged with defensive injury problems with no fewer than eight defenders on the sidelines.

As a result, Ferguson had to resort to playing midfielders Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher, as well as left-back Patrice Evra, in an unfamiliar three-man defence for Tuesday's UEFA Champions League 3-1 win at VfL Wolfsburg.

Nemanja Vidic is expected to be back for Saturday's game against Aston Villa, but John O'Shea and Jonny Evans are definitely out until the New Year, while no date has been set for Rio Ferdinand's return from a back injury.

The Da Silva twins, Rafael and Fabio, remain on the sidelines, as do Gary Neville and Wes Brown who both limped out of last weekend's 4-0 drubbing of West Ham at Upton Park.

Campbell, who has been training with former club Arsenal after leaving Notts County in September just three weeks into a lucrative five-year contract with the League Two club, was mooted as a stop-gap signing.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp backed the prospective deal, claiming the veteran centre-back would be a 'quality' signing for the Red Devils, while Campbell himself admitted he would 'love' to join the club.

However, Ferguson has been left surprised by intense speculation and insists he has no intentions of adding the former England international to his ranks.

"I don't know where this came from, but it is all wrong," he said at his pre-match press conference.

"Sol Campbell was a great player, but he is not a player we are thinking about getting to come to United."