Yorke the sacrifice to make room for Ruud

Ruud Van Nistelrooy's imminent return to fitness is likely to spell the end of Dwight Yorke's turbulent Old Trafford career.

As Van Nistelrooy remains on course to make his comeback from the cruciate knee ligament injury that prompted Manchester United to call off his proposed £18.5million signing last April, Sir Alex Ferguson has decided thatYorke will make way for him.

Yorke, United's record buy at £12.6m and for so long a pivotal part of the United attack, has slipped so far down the pecking order that against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday he was an unused sub as Teddy Sheringham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Andy Cole all played a part in the 2-0 victory.

Ferguson has elected to dispense with Yorke's services - a decision that will be of particular interest to Chelsea - after growing weary of his off-the-field antics and his failure to recapture the form he showed in his first season at United.

The striker scored 29 goals as United won the Treble, but he has been a shadow of his former self in recent times as Sheringham and Solskjaer have broken up theYorke-Cole axis. Ferguson has been impressed by 24-year-old Van Nistelrooy's attitude in fighting back from what was a career-threatening injury, and he is aiming to play for PSV Eindhoven again before the end of this season.

Van Nistelrooy's agent Rodger Linse said: 'Ruud is still interested in playing for United. If United still want him, and Ruud is convinced he can add to their team, things can happen.

'He's not in full training yet but he's back with the players and we all believe that he'll come back stronger and faster than he was before the injury.'

Van Nistelrooy added: 'I feel good. I haven't been involved in any contact training but the last match is at the end of May and the plan is to be back before then.' His injury, together with the ever-present threat of the breakdown of the transfer system, is likely to make him available for considerably less than the British record fee that United were prepared to pay last year.