It’s the big one for Manchester United and Liverpool fans this weekend when the bitter rivals meet at Old Trafford and ahead of the match – live on talkSPORT – talkSPORT.com looked at the time United defender Gabriel Heinze attempted to force through a transfer to Anfield.
“Gabriel was told, with no ambiguity, that historically Manchester United do not sell players to Liverpool, and vice versa.”
Sir Alex Ferguson was not about to become the first United manager to sanction a transfer between the north west rivals for 43 years, as he revealed in his autobiography.
That’s what the Argentine was pushing for in 2007. He had a ‘mercenary streak,’ according to Fergie and when efforts to join Liverpool were blocked, the defender attempted to make a legal issue out of it.
Joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2004, signs of trouble first surfaced a year later. He had a winner’s mindset, but was as hard-nosed as they came. “Ruthless, would kick his own granny,” Fergie wrote.
“After one year he wanted to leave. We were playing Villarreal (in the Champions League in September 2005) when his agent came to see me,” he added.
“Things were never the same after that. The following day he injured his cruciate,” adding that when he returned to action during the 2006/07 season he wanted new terms on a new contract.”
Heinze at Man United
Premier League title (2006/07)
Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year (2004/05)
It was decided everyone would be better off without the other, which is when he attempted to force through a move to Liverpool.
Not since Phil Chisnall in 1964 had someone swapped Old Trafford for Anfield and Fergie was determined to keep it that way despite his opposite number’s best efforts that summer.
“It’s clear he’s a player we like and he’s a very good player,” Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said. “That’s the reason why they don’t want him to leave for us.
“We made an offer which they rejected. The lawyers are now working on it and so we have to wait.”
Heinze’s people even tried shady tactics to circumvent United’s position, as former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan explained in his book, Be Careful What you Wish For. Phil Alexander, the club’s CEO, received an approach from someone called James Green who claimed to represent a South American agency called Soccer SA.
“The gist of the conversation was that this agent was that this agent wanted Crystal Palace to buy Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United and then immediately sell him on to Liverpool,” he wrote, adding Palace would be paid £1m in ‘commission’ – a bung in Jordan’s eyes.
He instructed Alexander to inform United chief executive David Gill, with the information being used as evidence at the tribunal, which sided with United.
Heinze was later sold to Real Madrid and speaking in 2011, revealed his regret at the way his career in Manchester ended, citing his and Ferguson’s strong personalities.
“I spent three years in Manchester and had some great moments and I regret it [leaving the club] a lot. There are a lot of things I regret from the last months but I am a strong personality, Sir Alex is a strong personality. I took the decision and, looking back, I regret it because it meant leaving a great club and their supporters. I was aware of the rivalry [with Liverpool], I knew the risk of going from Manchester to Liverpool and what it means. I hope it doesn’t tarnish the way they [the supporters] see me and they will remember the three years I had in the team.”
Manchester United v Liverpool is live on talkSPORT at 14:05 on Sunday 24 February