UNITED REVEAL DETAILS OF SAHA DEAL

Last updated : 25 January 2004 By Editor

From The Telegraph:

but the club's plc board revealed that the Frenchman's transfer cost them £750,000 in agents' fees which were disclosed in an effort to show greater transparency in financial dealings at Old Trafford.

The entire breakdown of Saha's £12.825 million fee was revealed in a statement by the club which showed that, as well as £11.5 million to Fulham and £575,000 as a levy to the Premier League, United paid 6.5 per cent of the original fee to agents.

The United board have come under pressure this month to explain the payment of a £139,000 commission on Tim Howard's transfer to a business associate of Sir Alex Ferguson's son, Jason, but have strenuously denied reports that plc chairman Sir Roy Gardner has launched an investigation into the matter.

Yesterday chief executive David Gill read out the details of Saha's move and made it clear he had taken complete control of negotiations for the player since United made their first inquiries in September.

Gill said: "Alex decides the player and then the negotiations are left to the other side of the club. We do all the player's terms etc."