AN UNHAPPY ONE IS BETTER THAN NO ONE

He told PravdaTV: 'I read it on teletext and I spoke to (chief executive) David Gill and nothing has really materially changed.

'They've slightly increased it but nothing really you would say - for goodness sake, an increase of about two bob or something.

'We know our value. If we are going to sell Ruud van Nistelrooy we should get the proper value. He is one of the best strikers in the country, one of the best strikers in Europe so when you think about (Andriy) Shevchenko going for £35million - he's a similar age group.

'But we know our value of the player so at the moment he is a Manchester United player.'

Asked if Bayern and Madrid were a long way from that valuation, Ferguson responded: 'Absolutely.'

Real are actually denying making an improved £10.3 million pound bid for the player with a club spokesman saying.

“I don't know anything about it,”