Having spent the entire 2005/06 campaign as a makeshift central midfielder, the 25-year-old's season was curtailed in January by an horrific injury against Liverpool.

However, with Rud van Nistelrooy attracting concrete interest from Real Madrid and Sir Alex actively pursuing at least one new midfielder, the fans' favourite is set to go back to his attacking roots next term.

Sir Alex admitted: "We are not too badly off in the forwards department. We are going to convert Alan Smith back into being a forward.

"He will be back in training soon and should be available by the end of August or the beginning of September."

Despite rumours mooting a bid for Spain's Fernando Torres, Sir Alex has not confirmed that he plans to bring in a new striker if van Nistelrooy leaves.

The returns of Smith and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, together with the quandry of how best to develop teenage sensation Giuseppe Rossi gives the Reds ample alternatives to the first-choice duo of Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha.

Sir Alex admitted: "We have Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney and we are considering keeping Giuseppe Rossi with us, even though I would prefer him to go out on loan for six months."

老头子好像听到了我的话一样...很开心...下赛季Alan会重新回到锋线的位置上,我一直相信只有这里才是真正属于他的区域...又可以见到Alan进球后的庆祝动作了...Alan是最出色的...谢谢老头子...