FORZA ITALIA

Veron has been linked with the Old Lady:

"I am proud a club like Juventus want me - but my thoughts and loyalties are totally with United.

"People in Italy say I want to move back there because I have a bad relationship with Sir Alex but those people are just big liars who do not know me.

"Sir Alex was the one who helped me throughout the difficult times of my English experience last season. He protected me like a great manager should no matter how I was performing.

"The manager's support was very important to me. That's why I am strong enough now to make sure everything goes so much better this season after the way Sir Alex protected me last year.

"Thanks to him, I am proving my skills and showing my class and all the players at Old Trafford are fired up for the second half of the season.

"We all believe that we can win everything we play for. Above all we can win the title in England and the Champions League. And I want to do that to pay back Manchester United, Sir Alex and the fans.

"I've heard all the stories in Italy that Sir Alex wants to sell Ryan Giggs to Inter Milan - but my opinion is that Giggs will stay. Ryan is a champion and a winner - and Manchester United will not sell their best players when there is so much left for us to win this season.

"The World Cup was definitely a crushing disappointment. So I threw myself into working twice as hard in pre-season training here. Now Sir Alex will make the decisions about my future. I will not start to think about my personal choices until June at least.

"If my relationship with Manchester United ends in June and Sir Alex wants to sell me - then Lazio would still be my first choice no matter what Juventus offer. But it is a hard subject to talk about while I am so focused on winning every trophy this season for United.

"But going to Lazio would simply be like going home. I still have a big house just outside Rome and I have always promised myself that, if United want to get rid of me, then it will be Lazio I speak to first.

"But don't forget that I still have a contract at United until 2006 - so as long as they do not decide to sell me, there are three years left for us to win many more trophies together after this season."

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has ruled out a player swap that would see Christian Vieri join United in exchange for Ryan Giggs.

The Italian giants are though still interested in the Welsh winger and could offer another player as part of any deal.

"The Welsh (player) is very strong. We have enough time to find a player for the swap with Manchester," Moratti told TuttoSport.

However Moratti added that Giggs is just one of a number of targets being considered as Inter begin preparations for what promises to be another summer full of wheeler dealing.