A delegation of Manchester United officials flew to Barcelona yesterday in a desperate attempt to persuade Emmanuel Petit to abandon his move to Chelsea in favour of a £7m transfer to Old Trafford.
The former Arsenal midfielder, 30, is believed to have signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea two weeks ago after the clubs settled on a fee, prompting the Stamford Bridge club to sell their captain Dennis Wise to Leicester City.
The England international will be unveiled at a press conference at Filbert Street this morning, However, United officials watched the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Celta Viga at the Nou Camp last night still hoping to discuss a possible transfer with Petit, whose season was ended last week by a thigh strain.
Sir Alex Ferguson's pursuit of Petit suggests he holds little hope of luring Patrick Vieira to Old Trafford, despite the fact that the Frenchman, currently on holiday in the United States, confirmed over the weekend that he has a verbal agreement to leave Arsenal this summer.
"I had a meeting with (the Arsenal manager) Arsene Wenger and the club's vice-chairman David Dein two days before I went on holiday," said Vieira. "I told them I was not going to renew my contract for a third time, that I wanted to leave and that it was nothing to do with money because that was not an issue to me.
"This is not about Arsenal but about my personal ambitions as a player. I need a new challenge after five years at the club. I feel if I go to a new environment I can raise my game to a new level." Arsenal remain adamant that the 25-year-old's future remains at Highbury.
Meawhile, the Football Association have confirmed they are to increase drug testing in the wake of the recent spate of positive cases on the continent. The Holland defender Frank de Boer was banned by UEFA for a year last week after testing positive for nandrolone, and his compatriot Edgar Davids and the Portugal captain Fernando Couto have been banned by FIFA from playing international football.
"The number of tests doubled two years ago at the demand of the clubs and, while we're not considering doubling it again, there will certainly be an increase in the future," confirmed an FA spokesperson yesterday.
"Part of this review is based on what has happened on the continent, but there is no concern that drug abuse here is on the increase." All 35 positive tests discovered amongst over 5,000 conducted by the FA in the last eight years have been for recreational drugs.
"We haven't had one performance enhancing find here," added Alan Hodson, head of the FA's medical department. "We want it to stay that way."
Newcastle's faint hopes of adding the £7m purchase of Barcelona's Boudewijn Zenden to the £6m capture of Craig Bellamy from Coventry are set to be dashed after the Dutch winger received offers from Parma and Deportivo la Coruna for his signature.
Zenden's father and agent Pierre confirmed that his son is likely to opt for Champions League football rather than the Intertoto Cup with the Magpies. "It looks unlikely that Boudewijn will join Newcastle," he said. "He is in contact with several clubs in Spain, France and Italy and he wants to play in the Champions League or UEFA Cup. So Newcastle is just a small possibility? very small." United are hoping to re-sign Robbie Elliott from Bolton Wanderers later this week under the Bosman ruling.
Bryan Robson, anxious to return to football in the Premiership, is set to reject any approach from FC Copenhagen to become Roy Hodgson's successor as manager of the Danish champions. Hodgson walked out last week to take up the reins at Udinese and Copenhagen officials are keen to appoint a "big name" as the club gears up for Champions League football.
