Soccer: Fergie fury over Ruud behaviour

Ruud Van Nistelrooy

Sir Alex Ferguson will discuss the future - and in all likelihood the sale - of Ruud Van Nistelrooy with Manchester United directors after the £19 million ($55.2 million) striker produced a furious response to his omission from the final game of the season against Charlton Athletic.

The Dutch international was informed over lunch at the team hotel that he had been left out of the squad by Ferguson, who later said his decision was taken in the interest of team spirit following incidents behind the scenes this week.

Van Nistelrooy immediately took a taxi to Old Trafford, where the United players' cars are left on a match day, and drove away almost three hours before kick-off to place further doubt over his long-term future at the club.

Van Nistelrooy has been linked with a summer move from the club he joined from PSV Eindhoven in April 2000 since being left out of the starting line-up for the Carling Cup final.

This ill-disciplined reaction, and the public condemnation from the manager, suggest his departure will be up for discussion when Ferguson delivers his end-of-season report to the Old Trafford hierarchy.

Ferguson had refused to exonerate the 29-year-old for his penalty miss against Middlesbrough, a draw that left United requiring yesterday's 4-0 victory over Charlton to guarantee automatic entry into next season's Champions' League.

"He's missed several penalties, about half a dozen," the Scot told the club's television station MUTV when asked about the striker's accuracy.

That night Ryan Giggs also gave an interview that the striker is believed to have taken exception to and, in the programme for the Charlton game, Ferguson wrote: "If there is a non-trier, he deserves to be singled out." No names were mentioned, but no doubt Van Nistelrooy was the target.

Following the defeat of Charlton, Ferguson revealed: "There have been a couple of incidents this week which concerned me. This was such an important game and in that situation I felt Ruud should stay out."

Despite his outstanding contribution of 150 goals in 219 appearances for United, the last of those coming in a 2-1 at Bolton on April 2, Van Nistelrooy is not universally popular among his teammates and may be viewed as expendable by Ferguson.

The striker has two years left on his contract and interest in his predatory qualities from Milan, Inter and Athletic Madrid - will allow United to recoup around half of their £19 million should they sell.

- INDEPENDENT