Ravel Morrison hits back at contract claim by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson Newcastle United have had a £500,000 offer for the prodigious 18 year-old rejected by Manchester United, but the midfielder, who has made just three senior appearances - all in the Carling Cup - is expected to leave Old Trafford because of a failure to agree terms over a new deal at the club. And the youngster even took the unusual step of tweeting Rio Ferdinand on Friday to urge his Old Trafford team-mate to deny internet rumours that he had stolen his watch. Ferdinand later defended his young team-mate by admitting on Twitter that he had not taken his watch. But with controversy continuing to stalk Morrison, it is understood that United will not stand in his way if a suitable offer comes in before the Jan 31 transfer deadline. Meanwhile, Ferguson has warned his players: "No excuses now. We have got some of our injured players back and others are not far from returning. It will make a difference as we strive to put [Manchester] City under the kind of pressure in the league that we put them under in the FA Cup last week. It's important that we get our fingers out and perform in every game.