WHAT SORT OF FOOL WOULD SELL RUUD?

Louis Saha has broken ranks and become the first Manchester United player to question Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to sell Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Premiership's early pacesetters have scored 10 goals in their opening three league games but Saha voiced doubts whether it was a sound piece of business to offload a player whom he described as "being capable of scoring 40 goals in one season".

Privately several of Ferguson's other players are also thought to be disappointed by the club's apparent inability to sign a new striker before today's transfer deadline. Saha, however, is alone in publicly questioning the wisdom of offloading one of Europe's most prolific goalscorers.

“When you lose a player of van Nistelrooy's stature, I don't think that giving him to Real Madrid is a good move. It's not a good thing when you consider that we may have to face Madrid at one point or another.

“It is true that his departure will certainly allow me to play a little bit more and I take Sir Alex Ferguson's trust in me as a compliment. However, I have always done my best whether Ruud is there or not.”

Those comments are unlikely to go down well with Ferguson, who had decided that Van Nistelrooy was a player in decline and fell out with him towards the end of last season about his attitude in training.

Ferguson is not accustomed to having his decisions criticised by his players and may feel compelled to ask Saha for an explanation when the French forward returns to the club at the end of the international break.