Manchester: Manchester United will do everything possible to help Argentina’s Gabriel Heinze play at the World Cup, manager Alex Ferguson said on Thursday.

“What we should do is to give him every opportunity to be there,” Ferguson said. “Gabi is 28 now and you can’t deny the lad the chance of playing in the World Cup.

“It’s the biggest tournament for any player and therefore we have got to try and help him as best we can. And looking at him in training, in a month’s time he will certainly be ready for a big competition.”

Heinze is set to return as a substitute following seven months out with a knee injury in United’s Premier League game against Sunderland on Friday. The left-sided defender needs to play games to prove his fitness following surgery but, with United chasing the league title, Ferguson wants to limit his changes to a winning team.

Ferguson said he will try to give Heinze as much time on the pitch as possible to confirm his place in Argentina's squad for the finals in Germany in June.

“...The best we can do is give him parts of games to impress the Argentinian medical staff and coaches (and show) that he is all right for the World Cup,” said Ferguson.