Ruud van Nistelrooy fears David Beckham’s departure from Manchester United could make goals more difficult to come by. The Dutchman hit the target 40 times last season and many of his strikes came on the end of a pinpoint Beckham cross. ‘‘David will be a big loss,’’ said the striker. ‘‘We will miss him very much. Everyone knows about Becks and his right foot. There is a kind of magic that comes out of it, which you rarely see. It was fantastic to be with him for two years and that is what I will keep in my mind. He did so much both technically and tactically last season.’’ ‘Ronaldinho to join Real Madrid in 2004’ MADRID: Paris Saint Germain’s Brazil midfielder Ronaldinho will be transferred to Real Madrid in 2004 but will remain at the French capital club next season, as Sports newspaper reported today. As claim Real Madrid have offered PSG Euros 35 million ($40 million) for the World Cup star who will arrive at the end of next season, which the paper believes is why PSG have not followed up United’s offer of Euros 25 million. Sources close to the club claim Real have already paid a Euros 12-million advance for the 23 year old though, at an official level, the club is refusing to comment. Ronaldinho’s purchase next season would probably see the departure of Portugal’s Luis Figo, whose position has already been made more difficult, some say, by the arrival of England captain David Beckham. (AFP) The Dutchman admitted he had hoped Beckham’s transfer to Real Madrid would not go through. ‘‘Even though it became more and more likely he would go, I was hoping the transfer would not go through. But it has and we must move on.’’ But Van Nistelrooy believes United are close to another Champions League success following their 1999 triumph. United twice beat Juventus, who lost on a penalty shoot-out to AC Milan in the May final, in the second group stage, including a record 3-0 in Turin. However, United came unstuck in the quarter-finals, bowing out 6-5 on aggregate to Real Madrid who in turn were beaten by Juventus. ‘‘I have been the Champions League top scorer for two years in a row. Now the time has come for me to win it instead of just being top scorer,’’ he said. ‘‘Real are not unbeatable. They put us out of Europe last season, but we played almost equally as well as them. We will be very competitive again this season in the Champions League and I cannot pick a favourite between us, Arsenal, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan.’’
