Would you Like Van Nistelrooy to return?

[MUFC]

Would you like him to return to United next season? Or do you think we should sell him ?

If we're getting Torres/Klose then no. If not, then he has to stick around.

[Red Devil]

Ruud announced that he hopes to have talks with United soon to discuss his future.

[manutdc]

I think the Torres deal is based on whether or not Ruud comes back to United next season. If United are going to try to get Torres they'll need the money from Ruud's sale. Problem though would be that Ruud's stock is dropping rapidly due to his poor performance at the World Cup and his last few months of last season.

Personally I think he should go - it'd be better for both sides. United play better without him (when he plays United become like England with Crouch), and he gets to revive his career.

[unitedred]

No way.

[Red Devil]

Ruud will be back, Ronaldo not.

[de_roiste]

For me, it all depends on how the funds received for Ruud would be spent.

He is obviously a quality striker and one of the best in the business, but his attitude and drive are not what the used to be for UTD. I think both sides need a change.

But I would rather keep him than fork out 20m for Carrick. If there was a chance that he could go to BM and we take Hargreaves in exchange. I would go for it. As some of us has disgussed, his performance against Portugal showed he has a fantastic engine and he covered every blade of grass.

I know he is not a patch on Keano, but I haven't seen any other midfielder with this type of energy in the WC.
Mascherano sit's in front of the back 4.
Diarra is over hyped and Lyon are just taking the **** with their asking price. Just because it's Utd and Chelsea stupidly paid over the odds for Essien.
Zokora looked good but got lost in games too.

Hargreaves can also play in other positions for cover. He's a great option I think.

[MUFC]

Yeah, a Swap deal+cash involving Ruud and Hargreaves making a switch sounds a decent option at the moment.

[Schmeichel#1]

Yes, i'd like to see Ruud return

[Ajant]

Defo. I want RVN to stay for sure. I rate him ever so highly, and if we do lose him we'll need a classy replacement someone like Miroslav Klose or of that quality.

[ruud4ever]

I definitely want him to say. I admit he made a mistake at the end of last season, but he knows that. I watched a documentary about him in Dutch and at the end he was asked about the United situation and you could see he was close to tears. This club means so much to him and it would break his heart to leave - particularly under these circumstances. He is also still a fans' favourite among many people, unlike Ronaldo who has lost many supporters over the last few weeks. I personally think Ruud is a great player at the club and to sell him would be ridiculous.

[Wolfster]

well i definetly want to see him wear a united jersey again specially that cristiano might be on his way out of england....and initially rumours of ruud leaving started anfter the clash between those 2....but loosing a world class striker like ruud is a big loss, while ronaldo can be easily replaced by the likes of aaron lennon.....that's wat i think...

[manutdc]

Losing a player like Ruud right now wouldn't be too bad a loss, considering reports are suggesting that Real and Bayern are prepared to pay up to 16m for him. He's no longer the player he used to be - the hunger, the desire, they just aren't there.

Seeing as we were looking at a possible fee of 10m earlier in the summer, 16m is fantastic. I don't know how the price has risen, though, considering his World Cup was terrible.

[Jshaw]

No, it's time for a change.

We're pedestrian with RvN in the team due to his style of play and lack of pace, let's get back to playing the United way.

[Red Devil]

The problem with Ruud is that he never got his pace back after his injury layoff. If he can regain his fitness he could be a force again. But, with the World Cup, his chances of a suitable rest are minimal.

Lets not forget what he has done for us but his likelihood of playing again seems to have diminished due to the rumour within OT that he has stated his reluctance to play for us again.

See my post in the Speculation Thread.

http://www.manutdtalk.com/forums/speculation-zone/246-whispers-within.html#post871

[SalfordRed]

For me it really comes down to the fee. Ruud should have been sold after the EC in Portugal imo. Now his value has fallen through the floor - although a nice bidding war could artificially inflate it some - and I’d be amazed if we were talking about an eight figure... to be honest we’ll be getting a good price at £5m, and even with the added bonus of getting that albatross of a contract off our back I don’t see that as a net benefit at the moment.

Ruud is pretty much done as a world class player. From Autumn last year he was looking way off the pace increasingly ponderous and heavy legged. In United’s modern narrow set up that renders Ruud a liability in general play as his primary service is angled through balls to run on to. The loss of pace is half the reason we were going weeks on end without a single shot on target apart from long range dinks and set pieces. The one wildcard with the above is Ruud’s health. At the time I initially voiced the opinion he was carrying an injury as he has been this liability of a player before; when he had spent a summer doing too much work with the weights and came back carrying excessive muscle, and when he was trying to conceal his injuries in 04/05. Given his personality I could well imagine him trying to lie his way through another injury in the run up to the WC, especially if it was his dodgy knee that was causing problems.

Despite that I still think we should keep Ruud. As a penalty box predator he can still be lethal, certainly an extremely useful asset to have on the bench. Providing we start to get crosses in from the touchline he can still be dominant in the mediocre domestic environment. Secondly Ruud is one of the few outlet balls we have. Take the now unknown quantity of Alan Smith the striker out the equation and we’ve really got no one bar Ronaldo. Assuming Ronaldo goes we’ll have to buy one player capable of holding the ball up, if Ruud goes as well we’d need two if we wanted any sort of security going into the season.

Nope, for me we should keep Ruud for now, and let Smithy try and find his feet again and hope Saha can learn to hold the ball up effectively when we are under the cosh. If we get positive results from both of those players we won’t need to replace Ruud. Sell Ruud now and we’ll be tying up resources for four years plus in a man we probably don’t need, resources that can be put to far better use elsewhere. Ruud is gone in 24 months come what may, so I say stick with the one known quantity we’ve got and only look for a new face when we know exactly where the Smith, Saha and Rooney platoon is lacking.

[Red Devil]

dont forget we have Rossi and I do not think he will let us down.

[SalfordRed]

I don't see Rossi being an asset as an out and out forward for the forseeable future. The kid does get bullied out of games a fair bit in the stiffs, and I really wouldn't fancy him playing back to goal in the EPL.

Rossi can be a useful asset before he fills out, but it will be coming from deeper. The traditional Scholes/Rooney role is the furthest I'd want to push him for the time being.

[manutdc]

Rossi is too small to play the role that Ruud plays. Either way I think if we get the reported fee then we'll have for once made away with an extremely good deal. SR has a good point - 5m would be good for Ruud, considering his form over the past year or so.

Either way, if we can get an even better amount, as well as a top class replacement (Torres, anyone?) then that would be great.

[Red Devil]

I am trying to be positive here. With Rossi & Rooney up front we will have to play the ball in to feet, and not those "hit and hopes". But, so saying, both of these need wing play to get the ball in the first place; we don't really have that anymore.

[topeq10]

he will not go anywhere..unless sir alex want..don't lose such a good striker..rooney can't make it alone for MU forward..another striker?i don't see anyone else have the finishing ability like nistelrooy..he is a good shooter..don't he?

[Red Devil]

Ruud needs a supplier, we do not have them, or did not have them towards the last half of last season. Ruud missed many more chances than he put away. Not only missed, but completely fluffed them. Lots of it is down to confidence and being content in his game, he wasn't.

4-4-2 in the only formation that suits Ruud, we do not play it. He needs wingers and precision passers to flourish.

Is Ruud a good striker? Yes! But if he does not get decent deliveries; he is an extra man doing nothing.

[SalfordRed]

I am trying to be positive here. With Rossi & Rooney up front we will have to play the ball in to feet, and not those "hit and hopes".

That would be a total waste of their abilities. Both could do a reasonable job given time, but you’d not be getting anything remotely close to their full value.

I’ve always regarded Rooney as an out and out midfielder waiting to happen. He is a pretty average finisher, neither is he blessed with much pace. What he does have is a bucket load of ability on the ball, above average vision, excellent passing range and a natural ability to run at people. Sure he has the strength and linking to play as a Hughes style pointman, but you’d be wasting his rare talents. Rooney has all the gifts of Gascoigne, with the added bonus that he has a fair amount of raw defensive talent as well. The second Scholes hangs up his boots/declines significantly Rooney should be moved full time to become our midfield fulcrum. With his ability he should be dictating games, not feeding off scraps.

Rossi is a similar case (although I still don’t regard him as anything more than a 50/50 shot at making it). His best assets would be pretty much neutralised playing him as an out and out forward. Like Rooney he has a well above average passing range and vision, and he also has the Robson/Scholes instinct for timing and positioning of late runs into the box. Unlike Rooney I also have serious question marks over Rossi’s mentality, having seen a few signs of a flat track bully in the lad, certainly not a suitable trait for anyone through the middle. As long as Rossi remains a dainty little thing and Fergie insists on keeping a very narrow shape then Rossi’s home should be the wide midfield berths, ideally coming in on his strong foot. Rossi needs time and space to play, something he isn’t going to get as a forward at the highest level. With time this hopefully will change, but right now you’d probably seriously stunt his development given his apparently fragile confidence.

[Bartmu]

Really hard to say so i voted cant say.

Ofcourse he still is a quality striker and surely one of the best out there. But if we can make good money by selling him and buy a great youngster like Torres to replace him then i'm okay with it.

[manutdc]

Fair points, SR. Considering Rooney's tendency to drop deep from the forward line to pick up the ball it would make it easier for him to play if he could get it in midfield. But having him in front also allows him to get straight at goal, seeing as he can get past most defenders.

If we had a good replacement up front for him then sure, I think we could use him in midfield. Seems like he can play anywhere and be our best player on the pitch.

[Schmeichel#1]

I mean Ruud's record speaks for itself...goalscoring wise.

And where's the evidence that a new striker will score as many as he has?

[Red Devil]

And where's the evidence that a new striker will score as many as he has? We won't know till he arrives :p

[SalfordRed]

The transfer request changes my view somewhat. That does tip the balance for me. Now Ruud has made a formal request we will save the full £10million remaining on his contract simply by getting shot of him. Any reasonable transfer fee will provide a lot of spare cash even allowing for a short term replacement being signed, and will give us the option to make a large scale signing if the right man becomes available. I am loving being shot of the plc. Now we are finally playing hardball again, rather than getting shafted left right and centre. Had we still been handcuffed by the shareholders Ruud would have been shopped months ago, and we’d have barely made a pound once the dust settled. Lets hope they are as strong willed with Ronaldo.

[manutdc]

Seems like we're holding out for £15m for Ruud, though Real are only willing to offer as much as £10m. We need the funds from Ruud's move. Will Real be willing to go any higher for a player who's had a mediocre year so far?

As for Ronaldo, newspapers say that he's apparently decided to stay at OT after a heart-to-heart talk with his mom. I'm not one to immediately believe newspapers, but that's what is being said.

[Schmeichel#1]

Very true....!!!!

[Rana Hussain]

Ruud is a key player for united.His absence was felt in the 2004-05 season when he was hit by an injury. He has got a wonderful strikers instinct. He may not be an asset for other clubs but for united, he is.

[de_roiste]

I mentioned this in another thread and I don't know if you guys heard it before.. But seemingly Ruud handed in a trasfer request last year before the fa cup final V Arse... Fergie convinced him to stay but now he wants out again.

Personally, I think he's worth every penny of 15m. He is still a class striker in the right setup, no matter what type of WC he had. Ronaldinho was crap in the WC too but you can bet it hasn't affected his value. Playing with the greedy Robben and shoo on sight Persie is hardly the best scenario for a striker. And yes, his form towards the end of last season was terrible. But at that stage I think he knew he was going and couldn't be bothered.

Real have seemingly warned Utd that they will not be held to ransom! 30m for Shevchenko and we are holding them to ransom! Alright, Chelsea could afford to pay that for a 30yr old. But Real are trying to pay part of the fee depending on their success which is crap. I hope he goes to Bayern and hooks up with Makaay. Another class forward.

[Manuxtreme]

He certainly aint putting his heart in the team just like when he first game to the club. I would be happy if he said but wouldnt really mind if he went either.