WILL UNITED REPORT CHELSEA?

Last updated : 19 April 2005 By editor

Guardian:

‘Manchester United have opted against reporting Chelsea to the Premier League despite Sir Alex Ferguson's growing suspicions about Peter Kenyon, the London club's chief executive, allegedly using underhand tactics to entice Rio Ferdinand to Stamford Bridge.

‘Ferguson's fears were exacerbated yesterday when it transpired that Kenyon and Ferdinand, together with the player's agent Pini Zahavi, had not only dined at Carpaccio in London two Saturdays ago but gone on to a second restaurant where they apparently spent another three hours together. The revelation undermined the version of events put forward by Ferdinand, who had described it as a "brief hello", and prompted Chelsea to issue another statement claiming they had "no interest" in signing the England international.

‘Ferguson is unconvinced, saying United had been treated "with contempt," but his anger is not shared by all the club's directors, who have decided there is nothing to gain by going through with his threat to file an official complaint.’

Mirror:

‘Sir Alex Ferguson will put pressure on the Manchester United board to report Chelsea to the Premier League for their alleged 'tapping-up' of Rio Ferdinand. United boss Fergie was said to be "hopping mad" over the Mirror's revelation yesterday that Ferdinand met Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon in two London restaurants on the same night.

‘The picture showing Ferdinand and Kenyon together blew a hole in Chelsea's claim that a meeting between the two - and the defender's agent Pini Zahavi - was a chance encounter and Fergie is determined to see Chelsea pay for what he sees as a deliberate attempt to undermine United and tempt Ferdinand away from Old Trafford.

‘The Old Trafford hierarchy, led by chief executive David Gill, do not want to make a formal complaint, chiefly because they fear it could hinder their negotiations with Ferdinand over a new deal.’