Manchester United fans want Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer fee reinvested in their team, with Carlos Tevez top of their wish-list.
United have been trying to broker a deal with Tevez's advisor Kia Joorabchian, who had a meeting with chief executive David Gill last week aimed at resolving the matter.
However, with a world record £80million fee at their disposal if, as expected, Ronaldo moves to the Bernabeu later this month, United supporters see no reason to stall any longer, while Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and Antonio Valencia of Wigan remain major targets.
Most United supporters will be happy to accept Sir Alex Ferguson's judgement on a player who nearly left Old Trafford last summer, since when his elaborate posturing and ego have only increased.
But, as compensation for losing the world player of the year, they want an assurance the massive fee will not be used to pay off part of the Glazer family's £650million debt.
"There is no information that it is anything other than the manager's decision but obviously there is huge pressure on the owners and it is a temptation when you are offered that much money," said Duncan Drasdo, chairman of the Manchester United Supporters Trust.
"That is exactly why we want to see a commitment from the owners that the money is going to remain within the club and available to strengthen the squad.
"We have sold the best player in the world. That is a big disappointment. If the money is reinvested into the club at least it will soften the blow."
Old Trafford insiders have attempted to assure supporters that is the case and also insist no agreement was in place when Ferguson famously declared during a press conference at the Club World Cup in Yokohama last December that "he would not sell that mob a virus".
Since then though, attitudes inside the Red Devils camp have hardened to the 24-year-old.
Ronaldo's disgracefully petulant reaction to being substituted during the victory over Manchester City did not go unnoticed, nor his body language in the immediate aftermath of defeat against Barcelona in Rome last month.
Given it was also apparent Ferguson no longer trusted Ronaldo to do any defensive work, forcing Wayne Rooney to play in a wider position that limits his growing abilities, the United boss simply decided trying to keep Ronaldo was no longer worth it, even if he talent is immense.
As someone whose departure along with Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis in the summer of 1995 led to a newspaper poll calling for Ferguson to be sacked, only for United to respond by landing the double, Mark Hughes knows better than most that Ferguson should not be questioned at this point.
"There has been a lot of speculation about Ronaldo's future for a number of seasons, so that is not so much of a shock as maybe the level of investment Real Madrid is prepared to put in to acquire him," said Hughes.
"As we know, Sir Alex Ferguson makes key decisions very quickly. You suspect he has been involved in this and feels it is the right decision for the team and the club. You have to respect that."
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