Ruud van Nistelrooy's Manchester United future should be determined within the next 48 hours by a conversation between Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill.
Van Nistelrooy's decision to drive away from Old Trafford three hours before Sunday's 4-0 home win over Charlton was very ill-advised if the Dutchman felt he was part of Ferguson's long-term plans.
More likely, the move was the final act before what seems certain to be a summer parting of the ways between the 29-year-old and the club he has scored an incredible 150 goals for.
Rather than try to gloss over van Nistelrooy's unscheduled exit, Ferguson instead pointed to the former PSV Eindhoven's poor attitude in training during the build-up to Charlton's visit as evidence for his decision to leave him out of his starting line-up.
"Sometimes in management, you have to take tough decisions," said Ferguson. "I have made one I feel was in the best interests of Manchester United. There have been a couple of incidents in training this week which have concerned me about team spirit.
"This was such an important game for us, I just wanted everyone together so I felt Ruud should be left out of the team. I do not need to say anything else about it. I will discuss it with the directors this week."
If history is anything to go by, the 'discussion' will be more like Ferguson telling Gill he no longer wants van Nistelrooy, who has two years of a contract worth an estimated £90,000 a week still to run.
In a situation remarkably similar to the one which saw David Beckham depart for Real Madrid three years ago, Gill will then be forced to try to attract the most amount of cash possible for a player who cost £18.5million when he arrived from Holland in 2001.
Van Nistelrooy's absence, from both the game and a post-match lap of honour which Wayne Rooney turned up for, overshadowed a comprehensive home win that sent United straight into next season's Champions League group phase.
Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo netted within quick succession. A Jason Euell own goal put United three up before Kieran Richardson gave one final nudge to Sven-Goran Eriksson with a thunderous fourth just before the hour.
It was a sad way for Alan Curbishley to end his 15-year association with the Addicks, which Ferguson - now approaching his 20th season at Old Trafford - acknowledged by giving a pair of return air tickets to New Zealand which will allow the now departed Charlton boss to see his sister.
"Halfway though the first half, I wished I could have gone a bit further than New Zealand," smiled Curbishley.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)