Grist for the Rumor Mill

Some of the possible doings and goings on from the world of soccer:

• Ruud van Nistelrooy looks like he's on his way out of ManU, having agreed to a contract with Real Madrid. This comes as a surprise to absolutely no one, as the Dutch striker had a major imbroglio with skipper Alex "Turd" Ferguson at the end of the EPL season.
• Among ManU's potential targets this summer: Michael Carrick, the Tottenham midfielder who performed reasonably well for England at the World Cup; young Spanish striker Fernando Torres, to fill van Nistelrooy's boots; and, most interestingly, Patrick Viera. Viera was long a United rival while playing for Arsenal. But now that his current club, Juventus, has been dropped down to the depths of Serie B, he is looking for a new home and a return to England seems likely.
• Other players who could end up in the EPL as a result of the Italian match-fixing scandal (according to The Times of London): Pavel Nedved, unless he decides to retire, David Trezeguet, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Emerson and Robert Kovac.
• Bruce Arena may not be unemployed for long. He is widely rumored to be hired as the next coach of MLS's New York Red Bulls.

UPDATE: Bruce Arena in! As first reported here and nowhere else, Arena has been hired as the head coach of the New York Red Bulls. No word yet on whether Guus Hiddink has been confirmed as the new skipper of the Los Angeles Bacardi & Colas.