MANCHESTER United may have spent around £48m this summer, but cast-off Jonathan Greening has warned Sir Alex Ferguson he could pay a heavier price for the loss of Steve McClaren.

Greening and fellow England Under-21 midfielder Mark Wilson followed McClaren from Old Trafford to Middlesbrough after Ferguson's former right-hand man moved into management at the Riverside Stadium.

Ferguson added to the £19.5m signing of Dutch international striker Ruud van Nistelrooy by luring Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron from Lazio for £28.1m.

The arrivals pushed fringe players Greening and Wilson even further back in United's first-team pecking order.

But McClaren threw the 22-year-old duo a career lifeline and former York City schemer Greening, a £2m recruit, yesterday declared: "I think Steve will be badly missed at Old Trafford.

"Somebody with his ability as a coach is going to be sorely missed. Jim Ryan has stepped up since Steve left United. Jim's a good coach, but Steve has loads of ideas.

"When Steve first arrived at United, we all said: 'Who's this guy?' But he took nearly every training session, often twice a day, and a lot of United's success in recent years has been down to him.

"He knows what he's doing, day in, day out. He's well-organised and positive.''

Brian Kidd, now head coach under David O'Leary at Leeds, was Ferguson's previous No 2, but failed to make the grade in management at Blackburn.

Greening, however, stressed: "Maybe Steve will be a bit more ruthless and a stronger person. He's definitely got the ability and I think he's got what it takes to be a success.''

Wilson, who cost Boro £1.5m, believes McClaren could bring Teesside its first major silveware.

He said: "Steve didn't have to sell the place to me - it sold itself. Jonathan and I saw the facilities and the gaffer had a lot of good ideas.

"With the ambitions of the gaffer and the players here, I think it's possible we'll win something.''

* Boro yesterday announced the launch of Boro TV Extra, which will screen all of the club's Premiership matches this season.