Sir Alex Ferguson has issued Wayne Rooney the ultimate challenge: Get Man United an unprecedented quadruple.

Ferguson sees his side fit and ready to challenge for four major titles in this campaign as he seeks to make Manchester United the winningest club in the world.

Here are some of the Red Devils' boss' demands this season:

1) Win another Premier League title to match Liverpool's record 18.

2) Be the first team to repeat as Champions League winners.

3) Take home the European Super Cup and World Club Championship trophy.

Sir Alex believes these aims can be met if Rooney plays exclusively as an out-and-out striker.

Though the England hitman scored 18 goals last season, Fergie believes that Rooney could have easily doubled that figure if he had not undertaken other link-up roles on the pitch.

Ronaldo's 42 goals and the need to supply the wing wonder the ball didn't help either.

The Scotsman figures that Ronaldo's goal tally from midfield might never take place ever again, so he has instructed Rooney to score more to compensate this term.

"We have to be fairer to Rooney this season. He is such a willing performer that you are tempted to listen to him at times," said Ferguson. "He says he can play centre-half or centre midfield or in goal. This is the individual you are dealing with."

"There is a great saying from the old days ‘He can play anywhere'. Rooney thinks he can."

Sir Alex reckons Ronaldo can improve from last season and play even better.

"At the start of last season, I was asked if Ronaldo could score more than 25 goals and I replied I was looking for improvement," said the Man United boss. "Improvement can come in different ways for Ronaldo this season. Forty-two goals is a target - it is still possible for him to achieve that given the talent of the boy and his goal-scoring ability. But you have to say it's a big target.

"Where you will see the improvement is in his authority and decision-making, which improves with experience. Experience gives you a lot of things - timing especially."

The Portugal wizard's comeback from ankle surgery is right on track, with Ronaldo due to make his first team return in October against Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Ronaldo has reportedly made peace with the squad, who feared that their best player from last season was headed to Spain.

"Cristiano has been doing excellently," claimed a delighted Ferguson. "He is well ahead of schedule. The specialist was surprised the condition he was in."

"The next three weeks he will have rehab and then the next part will be endurance work and serious running before he goes into the football side with us.

"There has been no problem, his progress has been great. He has never missed a session morning or afternoon. We are pencilling him in for the beginning of October," added Sir Alex.

Ronaldo is set to figure in the World Club Championship in December, but will miss the European Super Cup as he is still in rehabilitation.

The Red Devils are the only Premier League side to have won the World Club Championship when they beat South American champions Palmeiras back in 1999 although they lost the Super Cup to Lazio the same year.

"We are absolutely looking forward to those two cups and we want to win them," said Fergie. "We won the World Club Championship in 1999 but it seems to have been passed over.

"But we are the only British team to have won it. Liverpool tried five times. I cannot understand why we did not get the praise or publicity we deserved.

"To win a World Championship is an achievement."

Manchester United will begin their Premier League campaign against Newcastle at Old Trafford, and Sir Alex expects more of the same from Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool as they try to replace the Red Devils at the summit.

"Chelsea have this experience but Arsenal had a great run last season until they got injuries. Liverpool have signed Keane and Dossena and you suspect they will challenge," concluded the wily Scotsman.

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