"We will have a fantastic chance [of success] because in Van Persie and Rooney, you have forwards who can win you games."
Whether Ferguson's decision to soften his position on Rooney and talk highly of the player will change the forward's mind on his future remains to be seen.
Either by design or coincidence, Ferguson spent much of last season emasculating Rooney as a United player having, at various stages of the campaign, claimed that he was lacking the fitness, focus or form to be selected for the first-team. Van Persie's goals and Rooney's diminishing status had appeared to set in motion the player's Old Trafford departure.
Ironically, by signalling Rooney's return to top billing with his positive comments, Ferguson may now have strengthened the player's position should he and his advisers pursue the new contract which is likely to be offered by the club later this year.
Rooney's fractured relationship with Ferguson, combined with the club's failure to defend him against the Scot's claims and their refusal to discuss a new contract during the summer are all factors in his so-far unresolved situation at Old Trafford.
The England forward, who scored his 200th goal for the club against Leverkusen, hinted at his readiness to stay, however, by speaking earlier this week of his admiration for Moyes, his former manager at Everton .
"It's obviously good to be working with him again," said Rooney. "He's a great manager and thoroughly deserves this job because of what he did at Everton.
"I have put my head down and worked hard and tried to do everything right. I have tried to show the right attitude. I have always felt that's a really important thing to do. That's paying off for me on the pitch. I feel fit and ready to do well."
With Rooney on course to become the all-time record goalscorer in Manchester derbies if he scores against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, Ferguson admits he is relishing life away from the spotlight, having ended his 27-year reign as United manager in May.
"I'm enjoying it," Ferguson said. "There are some things you miss and some things you don't. But I'm relaxed about retiring. I left at the right time, but it was a great period of my life being at United.
"I've had my hip operation and I'm now walking and driving. I've got to be careful of doing exercise so the gym and golf are out of the question – but I'm looking forward to a trip to New York."
Despite his move away from the game, however, Ferguson's profile remains high, particularly after suggestions by former Premier League referee Mark Halsey that he persuaded the 71-year-old to speak in support of Mark Clattenburg following claims of racial abuse by Chelsea's John Obi Mikel last season.
Halsey also claimed to have built a friendship with Ferguson involving shared text messages with the former United manager.
"I can't believe some of the stuff," Ferguson said. "The Alex Ferguson element in his book, he feels it's important.
"But you all the managers in the North West and some players supported him when he had the cancer, him and his wife. It was a terrible period for the lad and the football fraternity got behind him.
"I didn't read a lot of the summary in the press – to me it's a little bit Walter Mitty some of that stuff."
Ferguson was equally dismissive of Halsey's claims on Clattenburg, saying; "I don't remember that but I didn't need him to do that.
"My take – quite rightly I know it's 100 per cent correct – there is no way I can think a referee would ever abuse a player racially. To me it was a load of nonsense."
Meanwhile, former United midfielder Paul Scholes has returned to the club as assistant to reserve team coach Nicky Butt.
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