In an outburst which quite possibly served to underscore his pre-eminence in his chosen profession, the Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was yesterday accused of behaving like, " the king of football".

However, any joy Ferguson may have felt at being elevated to his sport's aristocracy will have been tempered by claims that he was disrespectful and that he had gone beyond accepted standards.

Ferguson's accusers are the leading Dutch club, PSV Eindhoven. They were incensed by his weekend announcement that he not only intended to resurrect the £18.5 million transfer of striker Ruud van Nistelrooy but that he had invited the player to spend a month at Old Trafford as part of his rehabilitation.

Ferguson's invitation to a player he obviously still covets was not well received in Holland where the Eindhoven chairman, Harry van Raaij, was in particularly condemnatory mood.

"I can hardly believe that Ferguson has made this offer to Ruud," said van Raaij. "If it is, indeed, the case then he has crossed the line of decency. He must be thinking he is the king of football. We have Ruud under contract. We have paid for his operation and we are also continuing to pay his salary.

"It is nonsense that someone who has a contract with us can go to Manchester United for a month and take risks. I cannot imagine how a man with his job - and who is even called a Sir - can say such stupid things." He added that the offer was "too mad for words".

On Sunday, Ferguson outlined how a spell in the north of England might help aid van Nistelrooy`s recovery from a ligament injury which, threatened to end his career.

"We invited Ruud to join us in October just because it will be a break from what is going to be a long, hard road back for him, said Ferguson.

Meanwhile, Manchester United yesterday pledged the club's future to the Champions League amid speculation that a more lucrative European League is on its way.

Bayern Munich vice-president KarlHeinz Rummenigge revealed that Spanish media company Telefonica wants to set up a rival league and had already approached the German giants.

And according to Rummenigge, the new league, which would not be controlled by Europe's governing body UEFA, would "double potential earnings from the Champions League".

But Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon yesterday distanced the Premiership champions from the proposals.

He said: "We are aware of this Spanish media company's activities, but we have not been involved in discussions with them or with anyone else.

"Our position is that we continue to be supportive of UEFA and the Champions League concept."