Sir Alex Ferguson has refused to rule out a move for Thierry Henry, but while the Manchester United manager steps up his search for a striker to cure the lack of cutting edge evident during the Community Shield against Portsmouth yesterday, he has no such concerns in defence.

United’s rearguard may not have been tested by a poor Portsmouth team at Wembley, where United won 3-1 on penalties after a goalless 90 minutes, but Rio Ferdinand was so commanding that Ferguson felt moved to describe the England defender as the best centre back on the planet.

With Fabio Capello expected to name the United centre back as the new England captain before the friendly against the Czech Republic at Wembley a week on Wednesday, it was a timely tribute. “Ferdinand gave an exemplary display of centre-back play,” Ferguson said last night. “He broke out of defence so many times with comfort.

“It was an absolutely magnificent performance. On that kind of form he’s the best centre back in the world by far. He’s an absolutely magnificent player. Now he’s got to that stage at 30 years of age, he has the experience and is hugely influence.”

As assured as United are in defence, however, injuries and illness have left the Barclays Premier League champions short up front, although Ferguson is confident of signing a new striker before the opening league match of the season at home to Newcastle United on Sunday. Dimitar Berbatov, of Tottenham Hotspur, is thought to be Ferguson’s principal target, although Henry, the former Arsenal forward, has emerged as an intriguing alternative.

United have had a £20.5 million bid for Berbatov rejected, but while Ferguson is keen for Tottenham to drop their complaint about the club’s pursuit of the Bulgaria striker, that is not believed to have deterred the United manager from lodging an improved offer.

Whether reports of United’s apparent interest in Henry are merely intended to make Tottenham sweat - especially because the North London club are likely to need the money from Berbatov to sign another striker - is unclear, but Ferguson has long been an admirer of the Barcelona forward. Asked whether he was trying to sign Henry, Ferguson said: “I can’t answer it because I’ve not got a direct answer.”

Signing a new striker is clearly on Ferguson’s agenda, though, as he attempts to bolster an attack depleted by injuries to Cristiano Ronaldo and Louis Saha. Wayne Rooney has an outside chance of being fit for the match against Newcastle after being laid low by a virus.

“It’s possible, we’ll try, we’ve got one or two options we’re looking at and hopefully we can get something done before the start of the season,” the United manager said. “It [the need for a striker] has been pressing since last season. We always like to have four strikers, but we’ve not had that. But there’s some light at the end of the tunnel. We’re going to apply for Manucho’s [the Angola forward] work permit in the next couple of weeks and hopefully we’ll get that.”

Capello is expected to name a provisional squad for the Czech Republic match on Thursday, but while Ferdinand will be in it, Ferguson believes that it will come too soon for Gary Neville, despite the United captain impressing on his first competitive start since March last year. “I think that’s a bit early for him,” Ferguson said. Portsmouth are expected to complete the signing of Younès Kaboul from Tottenham Hotspur today. The defender will sign a four-year deal for about £3.5 million, subject to a medical, after turning down an approach from Sunderland.