Owen Hargreaves and new signing Bebe have been omitted from Manchester United‘s 30-man Champions League squad as they attempt to win the competition they last won in 2008 (7/1 outright winners).

Hargreaves’ absence from the squad will increase fears about the England midfielder’s long-term future in the game.

He has endured an injury troubled two years which has restricted him to just one brief substitute appearance.

The former Bayern Munich star returned to Colorado over the summer, to work with leading knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman in a bid to save his career.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson did name him in his 25-man squad for the Premier League, but non-inclusion for the European group matches (2/7 to win group C) would appear to indicate a return to action is unlikely this year.

Bebe’s omission is perhaps even more puzzling, given the club’s decision to shell out £7.4m for the player in the summer, even though Ferguson has admitted to having never seen him play.

Belgian defender Ritchie de Laet is the only other notable absentee from the list.

Full United squad: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Evra, J.Evans, Ferdinand, W.Brown, Smalling, Vidic, OO’Shea, Nani, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Valencia, Gibson, Berbatov, Rooney, Hernandez, Owen, Obertan.

‘List B’ players: Macheda, Amos, Fabio, Rafael, Corry Evans, Oliver Gill.