United u-turn on Bellion transfer Daniel Taylor Friday October 17, 2003 The Guardian
Manchester United yesterday agreed to pay Sunderland up to �3m for David Bellion rather than rely on an independent tribunal to determine a compensation package. The figure, though easily affordable to a club of United's riches, represents a baffling about-turn when the Football League Appeals Committee was widely expected to settle the fee at a considerably lower price. After nine months of often acrimonious negotiations the dispute between the clubs was due to be heard by the appeals committee yesterday, only for both to reconvene talks. They finally announced that United will pay an initial �2m, with a further �1m dependent on appearances and international call-ups by the forward. Bob Murray, the Sunderland chairman, immediately expressed delight with the agreement, which includes a sell-on clause from which the Wearside club would benefit if United transfer Bellion. But senior officials at the Football League were bemused by United's u-turn, believing the club might have overspent by as much as �1m. Why United appear to have backed down is a mystery given they had previously offered to pay only half of Sunderland's �3m valuation. Supporters' groups were last night questioning why, in such a deflated transfer market, they had paid so much for a player who made only three starts for Sunderland. Murray had previously accused United of making an illegal approach for Bellion - which United denied - and one possible explanation for the �3m fee could be a reluctance at Old Trafford to have the full details of the transfer emerge during a tribunal. "We're happy with the amount, otherwise we wouldn't have agreed it. It's a fair price for a promising young player," said their spokesman Paddy Harverson. Bellion is regarded as one of the fastest players in English football, but the 20-year-old Parisian also has the reputation of an erratic finisher and has made only two substitute appearances since signing for United in July, when his contract at Sunderland expired. When the transfer was first mooted in January, United were prepared to offer only �1.5m, a figure that caused Murray to label them "arrogant and despicable". Had United had been prepared to go through a league tribunal several factors would have been in their favour. As Bellion is under 24 he is not eligible to move on a Bosman free transfer, so the tribunal would have based compensation on how long the player had been at Sunderland and how instrumental they had been to his football education. Given that Bellion had joined from Cannes only two years ago and was a peripheral player, the tribunal might not even have required United to pay a seven-figure sum. Privately, senior officials at the league believe United have been generous in the extreme. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Rent DVDs Online - Over 14,500 titles. No Late Fees & Free Shipping. Try Netflix for FREE! http://us.click.yahoo.com/Tq9otC/XP.FAA/3jkFAA/tsUolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************** Reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe from the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
