Sir Alex Ferguson believes it will be 'very embarrassing' for Tottenham if they decide to carry out their threat to report Manchester United to the Premier League.
The Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, is furious at United for what he sees as the very public courting of striker Dimitar Berbatov. However, Ferguson maintains he never mentioned anyone by name when he revealed they had tabled a bid for a player. The manager claims his remarks were misreported by a national newspaper and that United may now bring in their legal team.
Speaking after United's 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa yesterday, Ferguson said: 'It is going to be very embarrassing for them [Tottenham]. But you know what Daniel Levy is like. He is different.'
Nevertheless, Tottenham struck back last night, insisting that their own lawyers had established that Ferguson had referred to Berbatov in public before Levy made his complaint.
Watford's Danny Shittu has hit back over his failed £1.5m move to Rangers by insisting he is not greedy. Shittu is upset after the Glasgow club's manager Walter Smith first claimed the Nigerian's wage demands scuppered the deal, then refused his request to return to the negotiating table.
In talks in Glasgow last Sunday, Shittu is understood to have asked for £25,000-a-week, while Rangers formally offered £20,000. A source close to the central defender said: 'Danny was so looking forwards to Rangers, but what they did wasn't fair. He wasn't being greedy. The package Rangers put on the table was a considerable amount of thousands less than the package discussed beforehand.'
Steven Gerrard has returned home from Liverpool's training camp in Switzerland for treatment on a groin injury. The midfielder missed yesterday's friendly with Wisla Krakow and is likely to be unavailable for this week's game against Hertha Berlin in Germany.
'Steven has a slight groin strain which will keep him out for between seven and 10 days,' said a Liverpool spokesman. 'He has left the training camp to return to Melwood where he will receive treatment on the injury.'
The Chile midfielder Carlos Villanueva is close to joining Blackburn from Audax Italiano, according to his agent. Cristian Otero said that the Blackburn manager, Paul Ince, contacted him looking to sign striker Mauro Zarate, who was on loan at Birmingham last season. However, Ince instead chose Villanueva after Zarate opted to join Lazio.
Another of Ince's targets, Keith Andrews at his former club MK Dons, has been made available for transfer. The 27-year-old midfielder was named League Two player of the year last season after scoring 14 goals on his way to guiding the Dons to the title and Johnstone's Paint Trophy. A Dons spokesman said: 'Keith is a player we value extremely highly and remain committed to retaining but we maintain our policy of not standing in the way of an individual's professional development.'
Norwich have bolstered their defence by signing the Fulham duo Dejan Stefanovic and Elliot Omozusi. Stefanovic, 33, joins the club on a two-year deal while Omozusi arrives at Carrow Road on a season-long loan.
