Man Utd (2) v D Bucharest (1)Gabriel Heinze, Manchester United's costly yet elusive summer signing, is running the serious risk of causing irreparable damage to his relationship with Alex Ferguson after the latest breakdown in contact between the Argentinian international and his increasingly irritated manager.

Since learning Heinze was taken to hospital after Argentina's 4-0 defeat of Costa Rica in the Olympics on Sunday, Ferguson revealed last night he had been desperately trying to get hold of the £6.9 million signing, only to discover the defender has not left his mobile number with anyone at the club.

Subsequent attempts to contact him via his agent and the Argentinian football authorities have also failed and an exasperated Ferguson was still in the dark about the seriousness of Heinze's injury until he switched on his television yesterday to see him back in the Argentina team. Although initially relieved, Ferguson is livid that Heinze has not contacted his new employers.

"We understand he got an injury but nobody from Argentina has even been in touch," said Ferguson, making little attempt to conceal his irritation ahead of tonight's Champions League qualifying tie against Dinamo Bucharest. "We read that it's a hip injury and that he was taken to hospital, so it was obviously a concern. But we haven't been able to get hold of him."

Ferguson has already joked that he will have a beard by the time Heinze, who signed from Paris St-Germain, finally arrives in Manchester, but he was incensed when he discovered his new signing had been included as one of the overage players in Argentina's Olympics squad.

Kleberson, another South American who has made an inauspicious start to life at Old Trafford, will make his first appearance of the season tonight while Darren Fletcher, who has served a two-match suspension in the Premiership, will also return to the United midfield for a match they simply dare not lose.

Ferguson warned his players against complacency yesterday but, with a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Bucharest, it would be almost unthinkable for the tie to be overturned, particularly after a week of political infighting in the Romanian camp.

Although the situation appears to have eased over the past 48 hours, Dinamo's players have threatened to go on strike after being fined a week's wages for refusing to go on a five-day training camp, citing fatigue.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-1-1): Howard; G Neville, Keane, Silvestre, O'Shea; Fletcher, Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, Giggs; Scholes; Smith.

DINAMO BUCHAREST (3-4-1-2): Gaev; Ciobotariu, Alistar, Iordache; Irimia, Tames, Margaritescu, Semeghin; Petre; Niculescu, Danciulescu.