mirkwood
04-23-2001, 05:28 PM
Van Nistelrooy seals £19m Old Trafford switch
By Dale Johnson
Manchester United have finally completed a deal with PSV Eindhoven for Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy in action for PSV Eindhoven: 1999
(CliveMason/Allsport)
The transfer initially fell flat last summer when Van Nistelrooy broke down in training just days before he was due to finalise an £18.5m move to Old Trafford. The striker recently returned to action and was immediately back among the goals.
But United have been forced to pay PSV £19m for the player's services as Sir Alex Ferguson desperately tries to make United a force in the Champions League once again in what will be his final season at the helm.
It was once thought that the cruciate knee ligament injury may end his career, but the forward has silenced his critics and passed a medical in Manchester over the weekend.
The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the recently crowned Premiership champions. His deal will start on July 1.
'I am very pleased to have finally signed for Manchester United,' said Van Nistelrooy. 'In spite of what has happened in the past year, my feelings for the club have never diminished.
'It has always been a dream of mine to play for United at Old Trafford, so this move has been a very easy choice for me to make and I look forward to playing for the club next season.
'I would like to thank everyone at PSV Eindhoven for being so supportive during my time at the club, particularly in the last year.'
His transfer is the biggest involving a British club, edging the £18m that Leeds United paid for West Ham United defender Rio Ferdinand in November.
Van Nistelrooy is currently on international duty with the Netherlands who play Cyprus in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday. United and PSV reopened talks about Van Nistelrooy after he played in PSV's 3-1 win over RKC Waalwijk on Friday.
Ferguson told The Scotsman: 'I am delighted that we have signed Ruud, a player we have admired for some time. The deal underlines our determination to improve the squad at United.
'The deal was always going to be on as long as the lad recovered. We've been monitoring his progress throughout the recuperation period and I'm very happy with the way things have gone.
'Strikers are always going to cost a lot these days but if you can get one who is not only top class but still only 24, it's even better. It means the position is covered, barring accidents, for four or five years down the line.'
And United chief executive Peter Kenyon said: 'This is great news for United and all our fans. We are extremely pleased that Ruud has come through his injury problems and can now join us for next season.'
Ferguson said at the weekend that he had no plans to sell, so Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may all be around next season as the manager bids to sign off with a second Champions League success.
However, with increased competition for places someone is destined to miss out and there has been speculation that Dwight Yorke will be the man to pay the price for failing to recapture the form of his first season in a United shirt.
After going out of the Champions League quarter-finals in the last two seasons following the 1999 victory, Ferguson admitted he needed to add to his squad.
'Now is the time for Manchester United to buy,' he said at the weekend. 'We need three players because this team needs fresh faces. Changes will have to be made to perk everyone up and the three players we buy will have to be very good.'
By Dale Johnson
Manchester United have finally completed a deal with PSV Eindhoven for Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy in action for PSV Eindhoven: 1999
(CliveMason/Allsport)
The transfer initially fell flat last summer when Van Nistelrooy broke down in training just days before he was due to finalise an £18.5m move to Old Trafford. The striker recently returned to action and was immediately back among the goals.
But United have been forced to pay PSV £19m for the player's services as Sir Alex Ferguson desperately tries to make United a force in the Champions League once again in what will be his final season at the helm.
It was once thought that the cruciate knee ligament injury may end his career, but the forward has silenced his critics and passed a medical in Manchester over the weekend.
The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the recently crowned Premiership champions. His deal will start on July 1.
'I am very pleased to have finally signed for Manchester United,' said Van Nistelrooy. 'In spite of what has happened in the past year, my feelings for the club have never diminished.
'It has always been a dream of mine to play for United at Old Trafford, so this move has been a very easy choice for me to make and I look forward to playing for the club next season.
'I would like to thank everyone at PSV Eindhoven for being so supportive during my time at the club, particularly in the last year.'
His transfer is the biggest involving a British club, edging the £18m that Leeds United paid for West Ham United defender Rio Ferdinand in November.
Van Nistelrooy is currently on international duty with the Netherlands who play Cyprus in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday. United and PSV reopened talks about Van Nistelrooy after he played in PSV's 3-1 win over RKC Waalwijk on Friday.
Ferguson told The Scotsman: 'I am delighted that we have signed Ruud, a player we have admired for some time. The deal underlines our determination to improve the squad at United.
'The deal was always going to be on as long as the lad recovered. We've been monitoring his progress throughout the recuperation period and I'm very happy with the way things have gone.
'Strikers are always going to cost a lot these days but if you can get one who is not only top class but still only 24, it's even better. It means the position is covered, barring accidents, for four or five years down the line.'
And United chief executive Peter Kenyon said: 'This is great news for United and all our fans. We are extremely pleased that Ruud has come through his injury problems and can now join us for next season.'
Ferguson said at the weekend that he had no plans to sell, so Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may all be around next season as the manager bids to sign off with a second Champions League success.
However, with increased competition for places someone is destined to miss out and there has been speculation that Dwight Yorke will be the man to pay the price for failing to recapture the form of his first season in a United shirt.
After going out of the Champions League quarter-finals in the last two seasons following the 1999 victory, Ferguson admitted he needed to add to his squad.
'Now is the time for Manchester United to buy,' he said at the weekend. 'We need three players because this team needs fresh faces. Changes will have to be made to perk everyone up and the three players we buy will have to be very good.'