CASH PLUS RUUD

Last updated : 11 June 2006 By Ed
The Independent claims United will have to lose Ruud van Nistelrooy and pay cash for Michael Carrick.

Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to sell Michael Carrick reluctantly, but only if Manchester United offer substantially more than the £10 million they are understood to have bid verbally so far. Spurs may be willing to discuss a deal which would involve Ruud van Nistelrooy going in the opposite direction but would still expect cash from United as well as the Dutch striker for the England midfielder.

Sources at Tottenham stressed yesterday that no agreement had been reached and, privately, they are furious at the timing of the bid, which came on the eve of England's opening World Cup Group B game against Paraguay.

However, Carrick has just two years left on his contract at White Hart Lane and, so far, has not agreed the kind of long-term deal which has tied Robbie Keane, Ledley King, Michael Dawson and Jermaine Jenas to the club. Talks were expected to take place this summer but have not, as yet, materialised.

Spurs have previously shown interest in Jol's fellow Dutch countryman Van Nistelrooy, who has been told he can leave United if the price is right. If he did move to White Hart Lane it would raise further doubts over the future of Jermain Defoe at the club.

A bad week for Sir Alex Ferguson took a another downturn yesterday when the United managed was told his £10m offer for Carrick had been rejected. "Michael Carrick is a player we are not looking to sell," said the Tottenham statement. Ferguson has been desperately searching for a defensively minded player who could fill the massive vacancy left by Roy Keane's departure last November. Carrick is his target, but if he is to stand any chance of landing the Wallsend-born player he will need to increase his bid to somewhere in the region of £14m - or include Van Nistelrooy in a deal.

Having had his holiday in the South of France rudely interrupted by the furore over Wayne Rooney's return to the England fold, Ferguson faces another week of distracted deliberation. It had earlier been suggested that Jol might make an £8m offer of his own for Van Nistelrooy, after the former PSV Eindhoven striker fell out with Ferguson at the end of the season.