Heinze not for Anfield, says Ferguson

Soccer News: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has refused to countenance the prospect of defender Gabriel Heinze moving…

Soccer News:Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has refused to countenance the prospect of defender Gabriel Heinze moving to rivals Liverpool.

United's Player of the Year in 2005 and a hero to the support, the Argentina player has frustrated many fans with an apparent desire to leave for Liverpool.

Only once, Phil Chisnall in 1962, has a player headed out of Old Trafford down the East Lancs Road for the Merseyside giants and talk of transfers between the pair in the intervening four and a half decades has been almost non-existent.

Although Heinze seems to see no problem making the switch between the hated north-west rivals, Ferguson has other ideas.

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The Scot, whose side tackle K-League outfit FC Seoul in the second game of their Far East tour today, clearly has issues over the involvement of Heinze's agent in talks over the 29-year-old's future.

And he has told a player who spent almost an entire year of his three-season stint at United recovering from major knee surgery he can forget any idea of turning Anfield into his home ground.

"I can assure you, Liverpool will not be getting Gabriel Heinze," said Ferguson.

"We can put that to bed right now and we have done so. We have had a couple offers for him and we have turned them down.

"I don't exactly know what Gaby thinks because it is all coming from his agent.

"He has been rolling the ball all the time but this has been going on for a year and a half now."

The transfer of Carlos Tevez moved a small step closer to resolution yesterday when West Ham said they would accept Fifa's judgment in the affair.

Tevez has agreed personal terms on his proposed move and Manchester United believe that Fifa will decide in favour of the Argentinian.

Tevez' representative, Kia Joorabchian, is adamant the original agreement was only for one year at Upton Park with the option of a further three years.

Yesterday, the two sides were involved in a heated exchange.

Joorabchian accused West Ham of failing to deliver on promises and of saying different things in public and private.

"We can no longer allow these inconsistencies to continue unaddressed," he said.

"We see no alternative but to bring the true circumstances to the attention of a higher authority to aid a rapid conclusion to this issue."

West Ham responded by insisting Tevez has a contract until June 2010.

"All other arrangements were terminated by West Ham on 27th April, 2007 and no legal challenge to that termination has occurred," said a statement.

"The club has in recent weeks made every effort to keep Carlos Tevez at West Ham United and indeed offered significantly improved terms and conditions to the player, which were not accepted.

"Public threats and accusations are irrelevant. Let Fifa decide and West Ham United will accept that judgment whatever the outcome. The time has come to settle this matter in a way which will allow everyone concerned to move on."

Fifa are waiting to receive a request to convene a special hearing before their dispute resolution chamber and the matter could theoretically end up in the Court of Arbitration for Sport but the Old Trafford chief executive, David Gill, said: "What you find in these situations, though, is that Fifa and the necessary bodies try to make sure the player can play, whether it's for Manchester United or for West Ham."

Arjen Robben will have to request a transfer from Chelsea formally if he is to force through a move to Real Madrid before the window closes at the end of next month, with the Premiership club still steadfastly resistant to him leaving Stamford Bridge.

Real's sporting director, Predrag Mijatovic, is understood to have tried to contact the Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, personally as he attempts to agree a fee for the 23-year-old, though he has made little progress. Indeed, Abramovich is believed to have stated that Robben is not for sale at any price having spoken to Mijatovic this week.

Such a stance would please the manager, Jose Mourinho, who has insisted publicly throughout his side's pre-season tour of California that Robben is very much part of his plans for the forthcoming Premiership campaign.

He still hopes agreement can be reached with the winger on a new five-year contract, though talks between the club and the Dutchman's agent and father, Hans, and lawyer Tom Smith have failed as yet to reach a resolution.

Guardian Service