Van Nistelrooy has returned to the Netherlands and is to join up with the Holland squad ahead of their international with Cyprus on Wednesday, which is being played in Eindhoven.
His rapid return to the international scene - it is little more than a month since he returned to first-team action with PSV - is testament to the high regard with which he is held in Holland.
It also shows the determination of a player who almost certainly feared that the injury could have caused permanent problems to his career.
His arrival at Old Trafford is set to further intensify the battle for places up front or force one of the four strikers already there out of the club.
Teddy Sheringham is out of contract at the end of the season, but has been offered a new one-year deal worth an estimated £35,000 a week, and he insisted at the weekend the Dutch star’s signing would have no bearing on his decision.
He said: ‘‘It’s no different from any other year, there are always big signings coming in and we have to compete with big players at this club.
‘‘It’s good for the club but it’s no different from my point of view.’’