Manchester United and manager Alex Ferguson have been accused of underhand tactics in their bid to sign PSV Eindhoven's 19-year-old winger Arjen Robben.
United have made their interest in the player known to PSV and the rising star has made a recent visit to Old Trafford, however PSV chairman Harry van Raaij insists that he did so without the club's knowledge or permission and he believes United are once again trying to 'tap-up' his players.
Jaap Stam and Ruud van Nistelrooy both joined United from PSV, with Stam claiming he was illegally approached by the Red Devil's in his autobiography, and Raaij fears that history is repeating itself.
The PSV chairman said: "United approached us some months ago about their interest in Arjen but then I heard that Robben was in Manchester last week and I didn't know anything about that. There was absolutely no contact from any United delegate and we are unhappy that we did not know one of our players was visiting another club without our permission."
"I have spoken to (United chief executive) David Gill since I learned of the visit and he was a little embarrassed and said that the initiative was taken by Robben's parents."
Raaij went on to attack Ferguson and accused him of poaching PSV players: "I have had good relations with Manchester United in the past over the Ruud van Nistelrooy and Jaap Stam transfers but bad relations with Ferguson. I recognise here exactly the same actions as when he approached them both. It is Ferguson's way of doing business but it is not my way. You can look back and see similarities to what happened with Stam and Van Nistelrooy. It just seems that, with Ferguson, a leopard never loses its spots."
He also insisted that PSV would not be letting their prized asset leave the club on the cheap and laughed off suggestions that he could leave the club for as little as £5million. He said: "For that money they can get a shirt from Robben with his signature on it, nothing more. I will not tell you what cards I have but that figure is a laugh."
Filed by Rob Wright
