Real sign striker Van Nistelrooy

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will join Real Madrid from Manchester United on a three-year contract, the Primera Liga club said yesterday.

The deal is reported by Spanish media to be worth around €15 million. The 30-year-old striker scored 150 goals in 219 appearances since joining United for a then British record fee of £19 million in 2001.

He is Real's third signing under new president Ramon Calderon following on from Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro and Brazil midfielder Emerson, and will link up with former Man. United team-mate David Beckham.

Van Nistelrooy put in a transfer request two weeks ago and both Real and Bayern Munich had been competing to secure his services for next season.

He will take a medical today and is scheduled to be presented at the Bernabeu later in the evening.

The Dutchman fell out of favour at United in the latter part of last season as manager Alex Ferguson increasingly looked to Louis Saha to partner Wayne Rooney in attack.

He was an unused substitute in United's 4-0 victory over Wigan in the League Cup final in February and stormed out of Old Trafford when he was left out of their final league match of the season against Charlton Athletic in May.

Van Nistelrooy, who has scored 28 goals in 54 games for Netherlands, found the net just once at the recent World Cup and was left on the bench by Dutch coach Marco van Basten during their second-round defeat against Portugal.

The Dutchman will face stiff competition from Raul, Robinho, Julio Baptista, Antonio Cassano and Ronaldo for a place in the Real attack, although his arrival is likely to hasten the departure of at least one of the forwards.