Netherlands and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has yet again been left out of Manchester United's first-team, fuelling speculation that he will move in the summer.

Van Nistelrooy was yet again on the substitutes bench for today's match against Newcastle United, only being brought on half-way through the second half, in a game that United were already leading 2-0

United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson has not given the Dutch striker a start in recent matches, originally excluding him from the squad to play in the Carling Cup final, against Wigan in the Millennium stadium in Cardiff.

Van Nistelrooy, who is the leading goalscorer in the Premiership, was upset at having been left out of the team for the final, which Man Utd won 4-0, with the United boss preffering to use the combination of Wayne Rooney and French striker Louis Saha up-front.

But, van Nistelrooy was also left out of the Premiership match against Wigan after the Carling Cup final, and will be concerned about the amount of play he is getting ahead of this summers World Cup Finals.

He should be assured a place in Marco van Basten's Holland squad, but with the option of Patrick Kluivert, Wesley Sneijder and Roy Makaay, plus also Van der Vaart and Pierre van Hooijdonk in attack, van Nistelrooy may find himself lower in the pecking order in the Dutch squad.

Speculation is rife about the strikers movements after the World Cup Finals, but if the player is consistently left out of Ferguson's first-team's then a summer move will no doubt occur.

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