United deny van Nistelrooy claim

Manchester United insist Ruud van Nistelrooy was quoted inaccurately when he was reported to have described the wages of players at Old Trafford as obscene and astronomical.

A United spokesman said the translation of an interview taken from Dutch magazine Voetbal International, which appeared in a Sunday newspaper and subsequently on the club’s official website, was incorrect in several instances.

“Ruud is wrongly reported to have described the wages of Manchester United players as obscene and astronomical,” said the spokesman.

“Ruud is also reported to have said Manchester United players play card games for money because they an afford it and that the manager, Alex Ferguson, is fine as long as he is winning.

“These words were not said by Ruud in his interview with Voetbal International, nor on any other occasion.

Nor did he ever say the club’s manager has been nicknamed the Hawk by the players.”