Manager Alex Ferguson revealed shortly before Christmas that the striker - who has scored an incredible 97 times for the Red Devils – was in the process of negotiating a new contract and talks should be concluded in the near future.

Fans had feared van Nistelrooy could become a summer target for Real Madrid, especially as another potential Galactico, Arsenal’s Thierry Henry, recently said he had no intention of leaving Highbury for the Spanish giants.

However, it appears van Nistelrooy has no intention of moving either.

“The talks are going very well and I am positive about the outcome,” he told MUTV.

“I do not expect any problems and quite probably the negotiations are going to be finished soon.

“The manager knows what I feel for this club. I want to stay here for a long time, that is why I am so happy that everything is going so well.”

Van Nistelrooy admitted he still felt a strong sense of loyalty towards Ferguson for the way he maintained his interest in the striker despite the cruciate knee ligament injury that at first wrecked his move to Old Trafford.

Ferguson has since been rewarded handsomely as the Dutchman plundered defences and home and abroad.

He fell only two short of Denis Law’s club record 46 goals in a season last term and this season equalled the Scot’s 28-goal career European tally.

However, the 26-year-old insisted scoring landmarks were not his prime motivation.

“It is fantastic to be part of a club with such big names and huge tradition,” he said.

“If I score a lot of goals it means I am doing my job. Getting to 50 or 100 is not a target on its own.

“I just want to carry on doing my best, I can look at the statistics when I get to the end of my career.”