Heinze: Out! …
Mail:Manchester United have accepted that their rift with Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze will result in him leaving this summer.
But United are still adamant Heinze must move abroad to further his career rather than travel the 30 miles to Liverpool.
Juventus and Real Madrid are among the clubs monitoring the situation though Heinze, 29, is determined to stay in the Premiership.
United chief executive David Gill said last night: “If there’s interest from overseas and the valuation’s right, I could see him moving.”
United are privately angry that Heinze has agitated for a move to Liverpool despite the support he received at Old Trafford when he was injured for a year.
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M.E.N: SIR Alex Ferguson is confident Manchester United will win any legal fight with Gabriel Heinze over his proposed move to Liverpool.
It has now been confirmed that Heinze has employed a team of lawyers to investigate whether United are right to block a transfer to Anfield, even though Rafael Benitez has met the £6.8m asking price for the 29-year-old.
The shock move effectively renders his Old Trafford future untenable.
Yet United are sticking to their guns in refusing to let Heinze become the first player to switch between the bitter north-west rivals since Phil Chisnall moved to Merseyside in 1964.
And, having ordered Heinze to be back in training on August 6, Ferguson has made it clear he expects the Argentina inter- national to meet the deadline.
“We are aware Gaby is taking legal advice,” confirmed the United boss.
Confident
“That is good. I hope it is good advice because we are confident of our position.
“He is due back in training on August 6, which gives him three clear weeks’ rest after the Copa America. And we expect him back in training a week on Monday.”
The deadline effectively gives Heinze’s lawyers a week to find out if the former Paris St Germain defender has a case, which revolves around whether a letter, signed by chief executive David Gill, confirming the figure United would be prepared to sell Heinze for, overrides the player’s contract, which still has two years to run.
Gill claims he informed Heinze’s agent verbally, prior to Liverpool revealing their interest, that United would not be prepared to sell him to any of their three major domestic rivals; a discussion which is thought was recorded and could be used in court.
