Soccer: Ruud confident of making mark at United

Ruud van Nistelrooy is relishing the opportunity of playing alongside David Beckham and Ryan Giggs at Manchester United.

The £19m man claimed United was the "ideal club" for him and he was confident he would score goals in the Premiership.

And the Dutchman is also hopeful of bringing back European glory to Old Trafford.

He said: "I haven't yet played against the top English teams, but I have played in the Champions League which I believe is of a similar standard.

"And in my 15 appearances in the Champions League, I scored 10 goals. So I am pretty confident I can score goals and create chances for my team-mates as well," he added in United magazine.

"Also, I see the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs at United, and the opportunities they create for strikers, and I must admit I relish the opportunity of playing alongside them. For a forward, it's a very exciting team to play in."

Van Nistelrooy believes his new team can still compete at the highest level in Europe, despite another disappointment in the Champions League this season.

He said: "This is a great team by anyone's standards. Personally, I believe they are capable of winning any competition they are in.

"Yes, the quarter-final defeat was a disappointment, but these things can happen in football.

"But if you're asking me whether Manchester United can win the European Cup next season, I would say yes. This is one of the great clubs. They are certainly capable of proving it again, as they have done before."

And van Nistelrooy revealed he had been encouraged to move to the English game by Marc Overmars and Dennis Bergkamp, two of his compatriots who have succeeded in the Premiership.

He added: "People like Overmars and Bergkamp, who are in a position to compare different leagues in Europe, said some very positive things and I was very excited by what I saw myself.

"I like the way most teams seem to fight for three points, to go for victory. I've never believed a football match should be like a game of chess."