Although he was a member of United’s Premier League and Champions League-winning squads during his debut campaign, he had to battled through a major tendinitis problem in both knees, which eventually required surgery.

Hargreaves managed only seconds on the field last term, during a late-season encounter at Sunderland and lasted just five minutes of a surprise start against Wolves at Old Trafford this year before pulling his hamstring.

Now the 30-year-old has sustained a shoulder injury which Ferguson does not believe he will recover from. Hargreaves’ contract is due to expire in the summer and there must now be major question marks over him ever playing for United again.

“I don’t see it at all,” said Ferguson. “It is a shoulder injury. It has just brought his season to an end. He has just carried bad luck all the time he has been here. I am pretty sure he won’t be playing this season.

“His contract is up at the end of the season but I don’t know what is going to happen. (United chief executive) David Gill had a discussion with the boy last week. But no more than that. We have to make a decision.”