Neville, who is hopeful he will have recovered from ankle surgery in time to feature in his club's new-season opener against Reading at Old Trafford on August 12, said nobody had given United a chance of reclaiming the title, especially in light of the acrimonious departure of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

"Nobody thought Manchester United would win the Premier League last season," Neville admitted. "But they underestimated us. They underestimated the knowledge and class of our manager.

"For two to three years we had been in suffering. At the start of the season we added Michael Carrick to our squad and lost Ruud van Nistelrooy. But Chelsea added Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack.

"But the manager knew what he was doing over a period of two years in building a new team and now we are in a fantastic position.

"Last season we played the best football, the most attacking and entertaining football - and we deserved to win the trophy.

"I don't think a United fan could ever be as excited about the players, the team and about the way the club is, as today."

United were Monday set to unveil their major summer signing, the England midfielder Owen Hargreaves.

Ferguson has also acquired the services of Brazilian midfielder Anderson and Portuguese winger Nani and is hoping to tie up a deal to allow Argentina striker Carlos Tevez to move from West Ham to Old Trafford.

Tevez wants the move to go through but it is currently being obstructed by uncertainty over who actually holds the rights to the player -- West Ham or the consortium that previously owned his registration and brought him to England.

Neville meanwhile is determined to put the injury woes that forced him to sit out United's title run-in behind him.

"I had an operation on my ankle about five to six weeks ago," he said. "I have been training really hard and feeling really strong and hoping I am fit for the start of the season because I am longing to play."