Manchester United's dream of their first Premiership title for
four years was under a cloud last night with the revelation that
they face a Premier League investigation into goalkeeper Tim
Howards £3 million transfer to Everton.
Sir Alex Fergusons team beat derby rivals Manchester City 1-0
yesterday to go eight points clear at the top and they will clinch
the title if Chelsea fail to win at Arsenal today.
But United face seeing a season of triumph descend into chaos. In
the worst-case scenario, they could have points deducted if they
are found guilty of breaking the same Premier League rules under
which West Ham were massively fined last week.
Howard,the 28-year-old American, had been on loan at Everton since
last May and, under Premier League rules, was not allowed to play
against United for the duration of the loan.
It was announced in February that the move was to become a
permanent transfer. But it is understood that Everton agreed not to
play Howard against United this season, and when the two sides met
at Goodison a week ago, the Americans place was taken by second
choice goalkeeper Iain Turner. The 22- year-old made a crucial
error, allowing United to start the fightback which led to their
4-2 victory.
The Premier League are now set to investigate whether an agreement
over Howards availability existed and, if so, whether it breached
the same rules which saw West Ham suffer a £5.5m fine over the
transfers to Upton Park of Javier Mascherano and Carlos
Tevez.
Those rules, U18 and B13, ban clubs from entering into agreements
which allow a third party to influence another clubs selection
policy and dictate that clubs must act with good faith towards each
other and the Premier League.
The League have confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that no such
agreement regarding Howard was included in the transfer documents
lodged with them by the clubs and that if United had requested it
through official channels, they would have been refused.
A Premier League spokesman said: "There is no such clause in the
transfer contracts of the player and we are contacting the clubs to
try to clarify the situation."
Documents lodged with the Premier League when the transfer was
agreed between the clubs make it clear that the permanent deal ran
from February and that it was no longer a loan.
Reports at the time suggested the permanent deal would begin in
June and the loan would continue until the end of the season.
Both clubs declined to comment on the issue last night.
But Everton will be questioned by Premier League secretary Mike
Foster this week after their manager, David Moyes, appeared to
confirm that there was an agreement between the clubs when he
explained before the game against United why Turner was
playing.
Moyes was reported as saying: "While Tim Howard was on loan he
would not have been able to play against his parent club,
United.
"Although we have now signed him ourselves, United wanted the loan
clause to remain in operation. It was partly the reason we were
able to tie up the deal for next season as early as we did. We have
abided by their wishes."
United, managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, and Everton will be given a
chance to explain the circumstances of Howards transfer and his
availability for his new club.
It is understood that Everton will claim a gentlemens
agreement existed over Howards availability and they were at
liberty to pick him against United if they chose to. But such an
argument may not satisfy the Premier League.
Premier League sources say that last season Birmingham attempted to
insert a clause into a transfer deal forbidding Robbie Savage
playing against them for his new club, Blackburn Rovers.
Birmingham were refused permission to do so.
West Ham were fined a total of £5.5m because they had allowed
offshore companies to retain influence over Mascherano and
Tevez.
The Premier League commission ruled that this represented a clear
breach of rule U18.
West Ham were also found to have breached rule B13, stipulating
that clubs must act in good faith, and the clubs former chief
executive, Paul Aldridge, was accused of telling the Premier League
a direct lie when asked about the agreements over the
players.
