Sky has been having a quiet word with Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who manages to emulate all three wise monkeys at once - hearing no evil, seeing no evil and speaking no evil.

"I haven't heard all the speculations, I don't read all that," he said on Wednesday. "Until now I heard nothing from any club, so that's what I can tell. I told a few months ago that when I go, I want to play in the Premiership - that's not a secret."

Asked if his room-mate on international trips, Jaap Stam had made a case for him joining ManU, Van The Man said yes, Stam had told him a lot - but likewise, he offered unprompted, Bergkamp and Overmars had told him a lot about Arsenal. "It's good to have an impression of the teams, it's easier to make a choice."

On the above data, we make it 2-1 to the Arsenal. He's clearly ours.