• Aston Villa player will sign after holiday
break
• Blackburn refuse to transfer Jones's registration
Manchester United
will officially sign Ashley Young when the Aston Villa
forward returns from holiday later this month but their capture of
Phil Jones from Blackburn Rovers has been delayed by a dispute over
the defender's transfer fee.
Jones passed a medical and agreed personal terms with United on
Wednesday after the Premier League champions met the £16m release
clause in the contract Blackburn awarded the 19-year-old in
February. He then joined the England Under-21 squad in Denmark in
preparation for the European Championships convinced, along with
United and his agent, that the deal had been done.
Blackburn's owners, Venky's, have since said they do not have to
accept a £16m transfer fee and, mindful of interest from Liverpool,
Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, believe he is worth more. Venky's
have refused to transfer the player's registration and it may fall
to lawyers to decide whether the wording in Jones' contract allows
him to be sold at £16m or merely speak to clubs who meet that
price. United are said to have no concerns that Jones' transfer
will be completed and for £16m.
Young is believed to have agreed personal terms on an initial
£16m move to Old Trafford from Villa Park but the transfer will not
be formally announced until he has completed a medical. The England
international is due to travel to the United States on holiday and
is not expected to have had his medical before then. But Young, who
had also been courted by Liverpool and Tottenham, has agreed to
join United and, with an £18m deal in place for the Atlético Madrid
goalkeeper David de Gea, will take United's committed spending to
£50m.
Wesley Sneijder has committed his immediate future to
Internazionale despite interest from Sir Alex Ferguson as he
attempts to rebuild the United midfield for next season. The
Holland international and Tottenham's Luka Modric were both under
consideration by the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who is also
keen on Arsenal's Samir Nasri but Sneijder has said: "There is a
family atmosphere at Inter and there are all the ingredients to aim
high. Milan is marvellous, picturesque and full of elegance. I love
it. At the moment I am very happy here and I don't see why I should
leave."
