Man Utd Rule Out Duff

By Ade O`Connor
July 21 2003

Manchester United today ruled out moving in for Blackburn Rovers’ Damien Duff, and thus hijacking Chelsea’s bid for the Irish international. Peter Kenyon confirmed that the Old Trafford club had no interest in signing Duff at the present time, despite missing out on Ronaldinho.

Kenyon was quick to quash rumours of the transfer when speaking in America, where Manchester United is on tour. Any rumours circulating in newspapers and on the Internet are now proven to have little substance.

This clears the way for Duff to join Chelsea, on an estimated wage of £65,000 a week, coming into line with some of the best players in the Premiership.

Souness still remains philosophical over proceedings, as Blackburn are rather helpless to intervene given the clause written into Duff’s contract, allowing him to talk to any club that bids £17m or greater.

The Rovers boss acknowledged that another Duff would be very hard to come by, and that he would not immediately set out in trying to sign a like for like replacement should the Republic of Ireland international leave.

The well-documented transfer is set to come to a close in the very near future.