De Gea has struggled to cope with the physical demands of the English Premier League since his 18-million-pound summer arrival from Atletico Madrid.

Ferguson, however, believes the 21-year-old has all the necessary talent right at his fingertips, he just may require a bigger frame to reach his potential at Old Trafford.

"The boy has got talent. He's lightning quick but has just found it difficult to adjust to some parts of the game here," Ferguson said.

"It's a matter of developing his frame. He's doing a lot of work in the gym."

"If we can get maybe a stone on him without losing any of his flexibility or speed it would be a great boost to him."

De Gea, who committed a string of high-profile errors earlier in the campaign, has impressed in recent weeks following a period on the bench.