All over at United for Van Nistelrooy

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY has asked to leave Manchester United.

Alex Ferguson confirmed the Dutchman wished to quit Old Trafford after landing in Durban for the start of United’s preseason programme.

The news is set to spark bids from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, both of whom have been linked with the 30-year-old since he fell out with Ferguson at the end of last season.

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.

“There may be some interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich,” confirmed Ferguson.

“I am waiting for (chief executive) David Gill to fill me in but Ruud has asked to leave.”

Although there have been suggestions Ferguson was ready to make peace with Van Nistelrooy, the former PSV Eindhoven player’s departure appeared inevitable following the furious bust-up with his manager prior to the final Barclays Premiership game of last season against Charlton.

Van Nistelrooy is said to have reacted badly when told he was being overlooked for the Premiership encounter in favour of rising star Giuseppe Rossi. The striker was immediately banished from the team hotel and then barred by Ferguson from playing in Roy Keane’s testimonial three days later.

Before the World Cup, Van Nistelrooy insisted he did not know what had sparked Ferguson’s anger, although the Scot did issue a veiled hint the Holland international’s attitude was having a negative effect on the squad.

After a disappointing tournament, which Van Nistelrooy ended on the bench after being axed by Marco van Basten, he begged for a chance to speak with Ferguson to thrash out his future.

Instead, talks between Van Nistelrooy’s agent Roger Linse and Gill have resulted in his exit being confirmed, with the destination still to be determined.

However, it has been reported he has agreed a three-year contract with Real. That scenario raises the prospect of Van Nistelrooy remaining a team-mate of Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he had a major training ground bust-up with near the end of the season.

Ronaldo is yet to officially state beyond all doubt he will remain at Old Trafford next season after claiming he was bound for Spain before and after Portugal’s World Cup quarter-final defeat of England in Gelsenkirchen.

United released a statement earlier this week saying there was “no possibility” Ronaldo would be sold.

Ferguson has yet to speak publicly on the issue, and club officials insist this stance will remain.

However, speculation continues to surround the player, with Valencia the latest to express an interest.

“His arrival would bring great happiness to everyone,” said Valencia coach Quique Sanchez Flores.

“He is a very young player that is capable of doing important things. There should be more players with his quality in the market.”

Meanwhile, Paul Scholes is back and ready to wreak havoc on the Premiership again next season.

At one stage last season, it appeared the 31-year-old’s career was in jeopardy as specialists struggled to precisely diagnose an eye problem which he suffered in December and left him with badly blurred vision.

Even Ferguson admitted he was not exactly sure when Scholes would return as he wrote the former England star out of the remainder of the campaign. However, the midfielder made such remarkable progress he was able to turn out as a second-half substitute in the final Premiership game against Charlton and also Roy Keane’s testimonial three days later.

With a full summer of rest behind him, Alex Ferguson is confident Scholes can still be a major force in the Premiership.

“Paul Scholes is back — it is as simple as that,” said Ferguson.

“It doesn’t matter who I am thinking about bringing into my midfield, Paul Scholes will be included, as he would in any side in the world. He is a fantastic footballer and without question Paul can still have a massive impact on the Premiership. I am delighted to have him back.”

Ferguson has also revealed his intention to sign West Brom goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, although even that move is shrouded in mystery as the Baggies appear to have no knowledge of a transfer.

Nevertheless, it seems improbable the deal will not go through at some point even if Kuszczak will not be asked to travel to South Africa for United’s three-game tour. Instead, Ben Foster will make his first start for the Red Devils against Orlando Pirates in Durban today.

Ferguson intends to offer Edwin Van der Sar an extension on his current contract, which expires next summer, but sees Foster as a more likely future number one than Tim Howard, who has joined Everton on loan.

Foster is one of a number of young players in the United party who will be eager to make an impression. Aside from Giuseppe Rossi, Ferguson also named Phil Bardsley and Northern Ireland duo Johnny Evans and Darron Gibson as potential stars of the future and rejected claims the tour is purely a money-making scheme.