THE SUMMER OF DISCONTENT

Last updated : 03 May 2006 By Editor
Oliver Kay in the Times

The whisper from within Old Trafford, after Ruud van Nistelrooy was demoted to the Manchester United bench this season, was that Sir Alex Ferguson was “testing” his leading goalscorer. Two months and a number of substandard performances later, it seems that Van Nistelrooy has failed his test, with clubs in Italy and Spain alerted to United's sudden willingness to listen to offers for the Holland forward.

It is a remarkable fall from favour for the 29-year-old, who has scored 150 goals since joining United in a £19 million move from PSV Eindhoven in July 2001, but his stock has plummeted alarmingly since Ferguson dropped him for the Carling Cup final against Wigan Athletic on February 26.

Ferguson, disappointed by a lacklustre display against Liverpool in the FA Cup eight days earlier, hoped that the omission would shock Van Nistelrooy out of his mid-season malaise, but on the contrary, Old Trafford sources say, the manager “couldn't be more disappointed” with the player's reaction to that kick up the rear.

The increasingly inevitable conclusion is that Van Nistelrooy, if he does not pre-empt the matter by demanding a transfer, will be unofficially open to offers when the transfer window opens for the summer.

Officials at Real Madrid and Inter Milan have already claimed that Van Nistelrooy has been “offered” to them — whether by United or, more likely, by agents claiming to be working on their behalf — and, with the player approaching 30 and with two years remaining on his contract, there is a belief throughout Europe that the Dutchman is unofficially for sale.

Van Nistelrooy has not discussed his predicament for several weeks, while his agent, Rodger Linse, was unwilling to discuss the matter last night, saying that such inquiries should be directed to Old Trafford — where, of course, nothing is said.

The penalty miss on Monday could prove a costly one, with Liverpool ready to pip United to second place — and with it a considerably larger slice of revenue from next season's Champions League — if Ferguson's team slip up again at home to Charlton Athletic on Sunday, a match that could be Van Nistelrooy's farewell unless he somehow redeems himself in the unforgiving eyes of his manager.