KEWELL TURNED UNITED DOWN

Last updated : 11 July 2003 By Editor
The Gruaniad report:

‘Harry Kewell resisted a last-ditch attempt by Manchester
United to hijack his £5m transfer from Leeds to
Liverpool, which included a telephone call from Sir Alex
Ferguson urging him to move instead to Old Trafford.

‘Ferguson contacted Kewell on Monday when negotiations
with Liverpool were nearing a conclusion, just as he
allegedly had with Steve Finnan earlier this summer
before the Fulham defender completed his £3.5m move to
Merseyside. It was a tactic which famously worked in 1993
when the Scot snatched Roy Keane from Blackburn at the
eleventh hour. But on this occasion Kewell had long set
his heart on moving to Anfield and had even threatened to
sit out the remaining 12 months of his contract at Leeds
if the transfer was blocked.

‘"Playing for Liverpool has always been my aim. The only
thing that has hurt me is how the Leeds fans might have
perceived all the arguments. Hopefully they can see it's
not me who has done all this. It's disappointing how the
chairman at Leeds has portrayed me."

‘For Houllier - flanked yesterday by his other signings
Finnan, Anthony le Tallec and Florent Sinama Pongolle -
the pursuit of Kewell ensured his summer search for
width, flair and invention has proved successful. He will
play Kewell in a central role, either behind a lone
striker or up front.

‘"I always thought we needed more creativity," he said.
"He's 24 and leaving Leeds at the same age Zidane left
Bordeaux, and Harry's got similar qualities to Zidane."’