I'm curious as to why Ferguson would announce they'd made a bid. He may be lots of things but he isn't stupid and he never, ever, does anything without a strategic goal in mind.
The season ticket argument is not without merit but I'm struggling to see why he would invite ridicule upon his club if they failed. Perhaps he realises that RVP wants to come to us and it is merely a tool to drive the price up, or perhaps the opposite is true and he's marking his territory.
Make no mistake this next season will define the future bragging rights for the next decade between our two clubs and he knows it. They win it and they can keep up, we win it and they're fucked for a whole series of reasons.
Interesting times.