posted on May, 27 2003 @ 08:36 AM
Ruud van Nistelrooy has called on Sir Alex Ferguson to extend his stay at Manchester United.
The prolific Dutch marksman, who this season with the Premier League Golden Boot after notching 25 goals in United's surge to the title, will forever
be grateful to Ferguson for maintaining an interest in him even after an initial move to Old Trafford had dramatically collapsed amid fitness
concerns.
Ferguson made his move once van Nistelrooy had recovered from his subsequent ruptured cruciate ligament injury, snapping the 26-year-old up for �18.5m
from PSV in one of the shrewdest pieces of business the Scot has ever completed.
Having ended a season-long barren streak by landing his eighth English championship, the talk is now of Ferguson extending the three-year contract he
signed at the end of last season after reversing his decision to retire.
United chief executive Peter Kenyon has already indicated the club would be willing to sanction such a move and, at 61, Ferguson, who looked fit and
healthy in the latter stages of the campaign, is still a few years behind Newcastle chief Sir Bobby Robson.
And if he does sign a new deal, no-one would be more delighted than van Nistelrooy, who is predicting a future ladened with success for the Red
Devils.
"The manager will never lose his hunger and I think he will stay here for a long time,'' van Nistelrooy told MUTV.
"He has been fantastic for this club and has won so many trophies with them.
"I am very grateful for what he did for me and to Manchester United for keeping their trust in me.
"It is fantastic to work with him and if we can all play at our top level we have some great years ahead of us.''