Dimitar Berbatov has called on Manchester United to re-sign Carlos Tevez on loan this month.

Tevez was linked with a sensational return to Old Trafford earlier this week after Marcus Rashford was ruled out for three months with a double stress fracture in his back.

And Berbatov believes his former United teammate, who currently plies his trade with Boca Juniors, could help United get back on track.

‘There have been reports linking Carlos Tevez back to United on loan, I say why not?! When you have these loan deals it’s good to get someone who knows the place, knows the situation of the club and the fans,’ he told Betfair.

‘Of course, he went to Man City but I’m sure the fans would welcome him back. If there is some truth in the story then it’s something that needs to be carefully thought about, the pros and cons need to be weighed up. But, if there’s no other option, this could be the right one.

‘In the dressing room, he was quiet, a bit like me, but that’s not always important. We all saw what he was like on the pitch, he would run like crazy, fight for his team, score goals and he would never give up until the final whistle and you could say that is what United need now.

‘There’s no one in the team that can bully someone from the opposition like Tevez, or Roy Keane, who would also rip your throat out if you didn’t work hard for the team. Maybe they do need Carlos Tevez for that reason, he always had that quality of shouting and fighting for the team.

‘When he made the switch to City I didn’t pay much attention to it and I don’t think many others did. It was a professional business way of doing things. Yes, he went to our rivals but it was his decision and we all said good luck to him.

‘As a professional, I respected all my teammates and players that I played against, so whatever they did was their own business. You need to respect and admire someone that plays for their club and gives everything for them. Many players have switched allegiances throughout their careers and I don’t think it’s a big deal in modern football anymore.’

United face Tranmere in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.