Van Nistelrooy Off To Madrid. Or Munich. Just Anywhere Where Fergie Isn't.

Filed in archive Transfer/Shmansfer on July 16, 2006

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image: sport1.de

Seems like Ruud van Nistelrooy and Sir Alex Ferguson will never get round to burying the Hatchet, as the striker officially wants out of Old Trafford. "There may be some interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich," Ferguson said. "I am waiting for Manchester United chief executive David Gill to fill me in but Ruud van Nistelrooy has asked to leave the club."

Ruud must have lost some of his lustre after a dreadful World Cup, where he added Marco van Basten to the list of managers he's fallen out with. But Manchester United still apparently want £15 million, whereas Madrid want to pay closer to £10 million.

With Ronaldo already on the books, I'm not convinced Real Madrid should spend any money at all on another sulky, lazy centre forward who considers any non-goalscoring act of movement beneath him.

From Fergie's perspective, he's got 150 goals in 218 games for his £19 million, so to get even half of that back for a 30 year old out of form striker would be a decent bit of business.