EXCLUSIVE: Ferguson fumes at Nani after winger punches reserve midfielder Petrucci

By Chris Wheeler

PUBLISHED: 23:04 GMT, 28 September 2012 | UPDATED: 23:04 GMT, 28 September 2012

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Nani has moved a step closer to the Old Trafford exit after an incident which ended with him landing a blow on a young Manchester United team-mate.

Words were exchanged between Nani and reserve team midfielder Davide Petrucci after a training ground challenge at Carrington.

Nani later called the 20-year-old Italian over in the gym and the rest of the squad thought the pair would talk through their differences, but they were said to be stunned when Nani appeared to land a punch on Petrucci.

Other players quickly stepped in to prevent further trouble.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is still said to be considering what disciplinary action to take against the frustrated Portugal winger, who was hauled off at half-time against Liverpool last week following an abject first-half performance.

Ferguson is believed to be fuming over the incident, which took place earlier this week and will only harden his resolve to offload Nani at the first opportunity.

A £25million deal to sell him to Zenit St Petersburg in the summer fell through because his 'unreal' wage demands put off the Russian club.

It is believed that Nani wants to run down his contract, which has almost two years left, after United refused his request for a new deal worth £130,000 a week.

The 25-year-old has cut an increasingly frustrated figure, having failed to make any impression this season.

He was booked less than two minutes into United's first game of the season at Everton and then upset Ferguson by missing a penalty against Galatasaray last week.

He is expected to be in the squad to face Tottenham today but only because first-choice right winger Antonio Valencia has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

The Valencia blow adds to United's problems after captain Nemanja Vidic was ruled out for eight weeks following more surgery on his injured right knee.

'I don't think Nemanja was ever 100 per cent,' said Ferguson. 'I noticed a couple of times in training that he was limping and then he started feeling tightness in his knee.

The main operation was to correct the cruciate ligament but there is always the danger that the cartilage is also damaged and that was the case.'

Sportsmail contacted United on Friday night but they declined to comment.

Da quanto ho letto è stato rocambolesco: rigore segnato ma fatto ripetere; errore e gol sulla respinta del portiere