SOCCER: Ruud van Nistelrooy flew into Madrid yesterday to firm up a move to Real after Alex Ferguson confirmed the Dutch striker had "asked to leave" Manchester United.
Speaking after United had arrived in South Africa for their pre-season tour, Ferguson said Bayern Munich were also in the running for the 30-year-old's signature, but sources in the Spanish capital confirmed van Nistelrooy's presence at one of the city's better hotels last night.
However, United officials have made it clear they will not let van Nistelrooy leave on the cheap and it will take a bid well in excess of the £10 million Real are rumoured to be prepared to pay for the forward, one of only eight players in the club's history to score 150 times.
If van Nistelrooy has indeed asked for a move he will not be entitled to any payment for the remainder of his contract.
"There may be some interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich," confirmed Ferguson. "I am waiting for (United's chief executive) David Gill to fill me in but Ruud has asked to leave."
Such a scenario raises the prospect of van Nistelrooy remaining a team-mate of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has yet to state beyond all doubt he will remain at Old Trafford next season after claiming he was bound for Spain both before and after Portugal's World Cup quarter-final defeat of England in Gelsenkirchen.
United released a statement earlier this week insisting there was "no possibility" Ronaldo would be sold and that any bids would be rejected. Ferguson has yet to speak publicly on the Ronaldo issue, with club officials insisting such a stance will remain. However, speculation continues to surround the player, with Valencia the latest to express an interest in him.
Ferguson, meanwhile, continues to monitor Patrick Vieira's situation at Juventus, where the Italian champions face spending at least one season in Serie B after the corruption scandal.
Guardian Service
