Arbitration panel to decide Heinze's fate

| Wednesday August 8, 2007 00:00

 

Heinze wants to join Liverpool and claims he has a letter from United allowing him to leave if any club offered a fee of 6.8m. However, United maintain that they made it abundantly clear to Heinze, both orally and in writing, that he would not be permitted to join one of their top-flight title rivals.

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. Such panels are reasonably common occurrences and can be called to settle disagreements as minor as a dispute over a fine.

Meanwhile, Heinze has promised to 'carry on like a professional' after meeting the United manager Sir Alex Ferguson at the club's Carrington training ground yesterday to discuss his future. 'I've fulfilled my duties by returning for training and I will now carry on like a professional,' he said.

 
'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 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.' (Guardian Unlimited)