Rangers missed out on £15m machine in 2000 under Dick Advocaat

A striker who would become a world-class player at Manchester United was lost on Rangers.

Three loan acquisitions for Glasgow Rangers were made in January, however one of them includes a

buyout clause. Philippe Clement is obviously targeting the summer transfer window to spend money on

new players.

The 49-year-old coach’s salary budget might be mostly influenced by the number of players he can let go,

and with six players having expiring contracts at the end of the campaign, that number might be quite

high.

Unfortunately, this is how the club have to operate in this day in age, and it means the Light Blues have

missed out on more than their fair share of transfer targets.

Rangers nearly acquired Rudd van Nistelrooy.

After winning the title for the second time in a row in the 1999–00 season, Advocaat considered

bolstering his team to enable them to advance in Europe, something they had not done under the

Dutchman’s leadership up to that point.

The Gers were eager to sign Ruud van Nistelrooy when he was still a young striker on the continent, but

Advocaat later acknowledged that the club’s attempt to sign him for £15 million failed to entice him away

from PSV Eindhoven, where he had become one of the best young attackers in the league.

Sir Alex Ferguson had led the Old Trafford side to three league titles in a row and the signing of Van

Nistelrooy in 2001 looked like it was the final piece of the jigsaw as he sought to become the first

manager to win four straight titles in England.

Arsenal won the double that season, however, but the Dutchman’s goals ensured they would win the

Premier League during the 2002/03 campaign and the former PSV striker ended up scoring 80

goals during his first two seasons in Manchester, a staggering total.

He led United to the FA Cup in 2004 having plundered another 30 goals for the side, but this would be

the final campaign that the supporters would see him at his very best, as injuries began to take their toll

on the forward.

His final two campaigns at United saw Van Nistelrooy score 16 and 24 goals respectively, but only the

League Cup was won before he departed to join Real Madrid at the end of the season.

At his peak, the Dutchman was one of the most lethal centre-forwards in the world and former teammate

Rio Ferdinand lauded him, saying: “Van Nistelrooy was the most devastating finisher I have ever played

with. We could win a game by three or four goals but, if he hadn’t scored, he would sulk.”

Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s career statistics	Games	Goals
Man United	219	150
Real Madrid	96	64
PSV Eindhoven	90	77
Hamburg	44	17
Heerenveen	39	16
Malaga	32	5
Den Bosch	4	2
Via Transfermarkt

Advocaat, who lost out on his countryman, led the Gers to a dismal season where they came in well

behind Celtic, who were revitalized under new manager Martin O’Neil, winning the domestic treble in

his first year in charge.

Under Alex McLeish, Advocaat’s replacement, the Light Blues were able to secure a cup double, but they

were once again struggling in the league.

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