Fergie: I might keep Ruud

[Sky Sports 1]

"Ruud is not definitely leaving and I expect to see him at training on Monday," said Ferguson.

"I spoke to (chief executive) David Gill on the phone yesterday and there is no development as far as Real Madrid is concerned.

"They have made an offer, we have rejected it. That is where the situation lies. If they don't come back in and increase their offer, he won't be going and I would be content with that. It would not bother me one bit.

"He is a striker who can score upwards of 20 goals a season and there are not many of those going around."

"Chelsea have every right to do what is right for their club, just as we have every right to do what is right for us," he said.

"I did not say their transfer policy was bad for the game. It is clearly good for Chelsea.

"But, if it is correct they are going to sign 30 African boys, you have to wonder how they are all going to get a game."

-Article is much longer so just picked out the quotes

[Chris]

Hmm, transfer tactics to try get the price up maybe? I can't see why Fergie would want to seriously keep Ruud now he has come out and said he wants to leave plus everything that has gone on at the end of last season. After all he showed how good is he is not happy.

Getting him back at pre season and all the hot air from Fergie is to give the impression we aren'y desperate to get rid I guess?

[Sky Sports 1]

Well if he's willing to keep him if Madrid and Bayern don't up the offers it makes them appreciate how good he is if fergie would be willing to sort things out.

I think they will make the right offers, eventually. Madrid think Fergie won't want him at training to will try to get rid of him fast this weekend, they're wrong.

[onenedkelly]

Spot on mate Ruud will be gone by next Friday without a shadow of a doubt

red4life said:

Hmm, transfer tactics to try get the price up maybe? I can't see why Fergie would want to seriously keep Ruud now he has come out and said he wants to leave plus everything that has gone on at the end of last season. After all he showed how good is he is not happy.

Getting him back at pre season and all the hot air from Fergie is to give the impression we aren'y desperate to get rid I guess?

[Tatty]

This makes me think Fergal's fisrt forays into the market for a striker this summer have been fruitless.

[Scott]

Real have said they wont be held to ransom over this. Fergie is saying they need to increase the big, or we're keeping him. Real can play chicken with Fergie if they want, but they'll lose...... because Fergie always has Bayern's interest ;D

[Sky Sports 1]

admin said:

Real have said they wont be held to ransom over this. Fergie is saying they need to increase the big, or we're keeping him. Real can play chicken with Fergie if they want, but they'll lose...... because Fergie always has Bayern's interest ;D

The way Madrid are handling this shows their inexperience in the market really.. Mijatovic who's supposedly doing the dealings is trying to play Fergie, pretty useless really.

[Red Yank]

Smart move by Fergie. By coming out and saying that he won't mind one bit if Ruud stays really puts the pressure on Madrid and they know they need him. I too don't think we're going to hang on to him and the longer we do the longer it will take to get Torres in a United shirt. Since Bayern's expressed interest we don't have to cater to Madrid's demands, it would just be nicer to hear that Bayern is pursuing this more aggressively.

[missunited]

Ruud won't stay. Simple as.

Plus, then I'd have to change my fantasy football team yet again

[hyderedphil]

Could be we are finding it hard to get another player in, Think he may end up at Munich.

[7even]

I’m looking forward to him going now, is anyone else?

[Sky Sports 1]

7even said:

I’m looking forward to him going now, is anyone else?

Not with his consistancy, i know what you mean though.. kinda got used to the idea he's going, would still rather he didn't.

[Busby Boy]

Erm...I'm unsure about this one.

This is either:

1) Ferguson cranking up the pressure on Munich/Madrid and possibly try to boost the value of Ruud by saying "we may keep him".

or

2) An olive branch to the striker. He can come back from this and use it as a fresh start, fresh motivation to fire United on.

If he stays I'll be happy and if he goes I'll be thankful and only happy if we get Torres.

[chiff]

One thing you can't accuse Real of is naivety in transfer dealing - they ripped us off for Beckham didn't they. They've been stuffed by Munich getting interested otherwise they'd be haggling between 5 and 10 mill and we'd have accepted 10 cos' we'd have been stuffed. Now they're gonna have to pay up but make no bones about it, this is a done deal and all that has to be decided is the price.

[Red Yank]

mufcadz said:

Erm...I'm unsure about this one.

This is either:

1) Ferguson cranking up the pressure on Munich/Madrid and possibly try to boost the value of Ruud by saying "we may keep him".

or

2) An olive branch to the striker. He can come back from this and use it as a fresh start, fresh motivation to fire United on.

If he stays I'll be happy and if he goes I'll be thankful and only happy if we get Torres.

I really think this is a negotiating tactic rather than an olive branch; if Fergie wanted to extend that branch we probably would have seen it earlier on than now. The time to have extended the olive branch was when Ruud was quoted as saying unless he heard otherwise he would remain a United player. Don't get me wrong, I haven't turned my back on Ruud...he'll always have my respect for being a great United player but the prospect of getting a younger more creative forward is very tempting as well. Real doesn't want to be held to ransom over this, but it's basic supply and demand: we have the player they want then we will demand the price and negotiate from that vantage point. With Bayern in the picture well that just raises the stakes, and we all know that a striker as prolific as Ruud isn't widely available in the market...