Heinze impasse continues

August 07, 2007

GABRIEL HEINZE: Looking for Reds exit

GABRIEL Heinze will take his dispute with Manchester United to a Premier League arbitration panel next week.

A league spokesman confirmed the Argentina defender has asked for a three-man panel to decide whether United gave the player permission to leave the club for an agreed fee.

Heinze wants to join Liverpool and claims he has a letter from United allowing him to leave if a club offered a fee of £6.8million.

The club maintain however that they made it clear to Heinze both orally and by letter that he would not be permitted to join one of their title rivals in the top flight.

The three-man panel will be made up of a judge or lawyer, a Premier League representative and a third person experienced in football administration.

The hearing will specifically deal with the dispute between Heinze, who has two years left on his current contract to run, and United. Liverpool will have no input at the arbitration panel.
League arbitration panels are reasonably common occurrences and can be called to settle disagreements as minor as a dispute over a fine.

Meanwhile, Heinze, 29, has promised to “carry on like a professional”.

The Argentinian met manager Sir Alex Ferguson at United’s Carrington training ground yesterday to discuss his future, having confirmed he has brought in lawyers to try to force through a move to Anfield.

But in the meantime Heinze has vowed to continue pre-season training with United.

He told the Daily Mail: “I’ve fulfilled my duties by returning for training and I will now carry on like a professional. I will keep on coming to training and see what happens. I have a muscle injury in my leg but it is only minor and will not keep me out for long.

“I’ve spoken with the coach (Ferguson) and I have insisted that my wish is to leave the club if a big offer appears on the table.

“Today the only such offer is from Liverpool and it is this that is causing the problem. Earlier in the summer I received a promise from United that I could leave if the deal was good for both parties and at the moment there is an offer from Liverpool."

How do you think the situation will be resolved? Have your say.

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ged (07/08/2007 at 09:08)

Would Heinze play for Brazil ?

ThePeaceMaker (07/08/2007 at 09:10)

Just let this wantaway go! He is using a lot of space and valuable time which can be used for other important club matters. Sick of hearing him moan. He's bleating like a kid and he has lost my respect; Hopefully he gets the stick if the deal to the Scousers materialises! Hopefully not!

Zeph, Singapore (07/08/2007 at 09:11)

Heinze has demonstrated that his heart is not with United. Let's sell him away from England. As for why he wants to leave, i'm at a loss. United supported him through his injury and lengthy rehab. He wasn't so effective last season, yet got plenty of starts. I'm quite disappointed in his loyalty. I don't expect a United player to sacrifice all personal interests for us, but this is too much. An ingrate, he appears to be.

Victoria Smith (07/08/2007 at 09:15)

He may be acting 'professional' but he is disloyal and a disgrace to the United shirt with all the support he got from United he has the nerve to say he feels let down by club he even says United would accept a bid that was good for United and for him but he has been told they would not accept a bid from Liverpool that should have been it and he should have fought for his place and if a bid from a abroad came in then fine let him go with the clubs approval.

Steve Piggin (07/08/2007 at 09:27)

Perhaps he wants to go Liverpool so he has a realistic chance of Champions League glory?

Mike (07/08/2007 at 09:29)

He wants to go to the scousers to win the PL again, this time with a bit more finesse and a lot less luck than last year.

Red Eyes, Manchester (07/08/2007 at 09:32)

The statement to "carry on like a professional" says so much more about football generally that the wannabe scousers own situation. Is the most important feature of the sport the players or the fans? Highly paid stars can be professional (for whichever club they play for)but we fans have a club for life and pay for the privilege of supporting OUR team. Gabby is being silly and naive in wanting a switch to Anfield. He should talk to Giggs, Scholes, Neville about loyalty - and I would even suggest Carragher and Gerrard - and then make up his mind. Having stated my view, I have to say, if he really wants to go, and we get the brass up front, we should let him go!!

terry (07/08/2007 at 09:34)

Oh come on guys. Heinze won player of the year a couple of years ago. He had some difficulty coming back from his injury and during that period SAF bought an international class left back and also played Sylvestre. Meanwhile, Pique is back and he can play centre or left back. As SAF himself has acknowledged, 2 months ago he indicated to Heinze that he could find himself another club if the money was right. Of course we want loyal players but when, as with Nicky Butt and Phil Neville, they form the view that they may be 'surplus to requirements' who can blame them for moving on. The sticking point is the apparent misunderstanding by GH or his agent that he cannot move to Ch, Liv or Ar. It also looks like nobody else has come in for GH and my guess is he would have wanted Real Madrid,Juventus or similar. Rossi clearly wanted to move to Italy if he couldn't be guarantedd first team football. SAF let him go to Spain with a buyback and yet before that piece of information came out, there was uproar on these posts. Now people are saying Gaby is disloyal. My view: £6.9m is good money for a 29 year old who,like RVN has lost pace since a major injury. We let RVN go to RM; we have many choices now in defence even if Sylvestre goes. Gaby has been great while he's been here with the United spirit of drive and determination. We should let him go with our best wishes and move on. Cheers.

edinburgh red, edinburgh (07/08/2007 at 09:37)

Sell this disloyal twit and get in a replacement, someone who can pass and has pace is already an improvement. Also shock gerrard escaped from further punishment for punching a player at the amsterdam tournament, now if it hasd been rooney..

bobbydazzler (07/08/2007 at 09:42)

steph just another example of what selfish b*****ds some of these so called professional footballers are. they live in a me me me atmosphere and dont know the meaning of NO. they are indulged with their every desire and at the sign of even the slightest setback they spit out their dummies. god forbid if they had a proper job and had to live in the real world.

Roy (07/08/2007 at 09:46)

Interesting point, Ged.

If Utd did want to sell him then they should let him go, and to wherever he next wants to play. In theory he could buy out his contract come Jan and still go the Liverpool.

If Utd don't want to sell him then Sir Alex should use all his man-management skills to get him to stay.

He clearly wants to go, let's get 6.8m and move on.

Octavius Tinsworth Ace (07/08/2007 at 09:52)

I had previously taken an "innocent until proven guilty" attitude to this whole situation. However, it looks like Heinze has shown his true colours -- he's an ungrateful little piece of work. If I were him, I'd be worried. He's got no case at all; when it comes down to it, he's contracted to United for two more years. The thing is, he could have salvaged the situation but instead he's making the mistake of trying to play hardball with Fergie, which is just increasing the probability that he'll spend those two years in the reserves.

One thing's for certain -- he'll join a very small group of players who get a negative reception on their return to Old Trafford, whatever opposition team he turns out for.

Demo, Glossop (07/08/2007 at 10:01)

wel i said previously i would not jump on his back until i heard it from his mouth! Prepare yourself gabby cos i am now jumping on your back!!!

he wasnt very good last season - i put it down to returning from injury. who knows if he will rediscover his pace and composure. if he wants to go then get rid of him! but we must get a quality left back in! lets push for a swap deal with juve for that chillenili or woteva his name is!

he aint going the mickeys tho thats fo show

p-woodhouse, gorton (07/08/2007 at 10:06)

sven is going to sign him, then sell him on to liverpool....

LeythBlue, Leigh (07/08/2007 at 10:09)

United want to grow up and stop being so childish, if the guy wants to go then let him go.

george (07/08/2007 at 10:10)

Heinze obviously does not think he's good enough to oust Evra from left back.Silvestre is as strong and shown greater loyalty to UNITED.
Heinze's career is on the downward spiral.

Miggy, ST. HELENS (07/08/2007 at 10:24)

As a Liverpool fan I'm disgusted at United's stand not to allow Heinze to move to whatever club he wishes, be it Liverpool or elsewhere. In this day and age where hatred amongst fans is bad enough, I thought SAF would be a bit more careful with his words. He's only putting more embers on the fire between United and Liverpool fans. I work in Manchester and have a good rapourt with United and City fans but SAF is acting childish and making himself look foolish. He needs to grow up and act like the professional that he tries to instill in his players. He should leave the sulky bitter acts to Mourinho. Put your dummy back in SAF and lets all look forward to the football.

Peter Hayes (07/08/2007 at 10:33)

Put forward some comments over an hour ago but because it was a little pro Heinze its been pulled,free press we're 'avin a laugh.

Grant - Hemel Hempstead (07/08/2007 at 10:37)

Let him rot - I'm not one to preach loyalty etc, as that doesn't really exist anymore, but the way he has conducted himself is appalling. The club supported the lad through his injury and did everything they could to help him fulfil his dream of playing in the world cup, and then acts all hard done by. No real problems with him wanting to move, but the lawyers, the ultimatums, the threats etc are really poor in my opinion. The man has no heart or spirit to fight for his place, and as far as I am concerned not welcome at the club or better still let him rot with the reserves and ruin 2 years of his career - getting all spiteful now!!!

bobbydazzler (07/08/2007 at 10:39)

terry i would get shut he is no great loss , liverpool will soon find out that they have bought just about the worst passer of a ball i have seen for a good few years , he is not the player we saw in that first season. what i disagree with you is about cover. sly has been a useful player but on sundays showing he too is a busted flush. that leaves us with only one genuine left back to play ie evra. pique is far too slow, evans a promising lad with no top class experience at left back and to boot is right footed, which only leaves us with jos who again is a make do option and is also right footed. our full back positions need looking at

Palmer, London (yeah, yeah, heard it all before) (07/08/2007 at 10:54)

Hey LeythBlue, I was hoping all this stuff about Heinze was rubbish, and a head to head with SAF would sort it out.

Alas, it appears that Heinze doesn't get it, and so should be punshed. So I think he should be sold to you lot, what better punishment is there than the being sent to the wastelands?

manc abroad, OT (07/08/2007 at 11:22)

Miggy, so in 3 years time if Torres said I want out I want to go to Man United and United were willing to pay the price, you are telling me that Liverpool fc would sanction the deal. I don't think so.

bobbydazzler (07/08/2007 at 11:28)

grant if we let him rot in the reserves will cost best part of 12m for a lad who is not playing or pay for 18000 season tkts. sell him and be dammned

Red Family Man - South Stand Tier 1 (07/08/2007 at 11:34)

I have to say, I think that nearly £7 million is great business, Heinze is clearly not the player he was when he first joined the club, doesn't really fancy taking Evra / Silvestre on and fight for his place, and wants the easy way out.....

Sell him buy all means! The deal benefits United FAR more than Liverpool....

red john (07/08/2007 at 11:49)

i have been a fan of heinze all the time he has been at the club; and unlike most of the fans on the site am not going to criticise either his play which i still rate or his attitude. He is a much better defender than anybody is giving him credit for on these pages you dont get 60 odd caps for argentina unless you can defend; and he clearly has been told he has no future so why would he not want to go where he is wanted? Personally i will find it hard to swallow him going to liverpool but perhaps this might signal a thaw in the cold war between the 2 clubs and there fans...i always wonder how rooney must feel listening to the anti scouser drivel sung from the terraces. I say good luck to him and hope he has crap games against us...thanks for all the memories gabby

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