Portugal police probing Bébé move to Manchester

[Liverpel]

Portuguese police are investigating the controversial transfer of Bébé to Manchester United amid suspicions that much of the transfer fee remains unaccounted for.

United signed the Portugal Under-21 player from Vitória de Guimarães for £7.4m in mid-2010 even though Sir Alex Ferguson later admitted he had never seen the forward play.

An anti-corruption department of the Portuguese police service was reported on Friday to be looking into the transfer, the Times said. Bébé, 21, started only three matches before joining Besiktas on a season-long loan last summer.

But he made his debut for the Turkish club only last month after he tore a cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for the Portugal Under-21 side.

Ferguson admitted that Bébé had been an impulse buy. "It is one of those things that happens when you identify someone with potential," Ferguson said. "Normally you would assess someone over a longer period of time but other clubs were starting to have a look so we made a quick decision."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/13/police-bebe-transfer-manchester-united

[Tee]

Would absolutely ****ing love it if some financial irregularities on the scum's part were found.

[Fredo]

Well I remember a damning documentary not so long ago (undercover journo etc) revealing enough evidence to warrant inquiry into Mr. Ferguson's dealings. Nowt came out of it.

[Tee]

I know, eff all will happen because it is Fergie after all.

[Exiled_red]

Would absolutely ****ing love it if some financial irregularities on the scum's part were found.

[Liverpel]

Manchester United have declined to comment on reports that authorities in Portugal are investigating missing money from the deal that took Bébé from Vitória Guimarães to Old Trafford two years ago.

The Premier League club said at the time that none of the £7m transfer fee had been paid directly to an agent, and though plenty of eyebrows were raised in 2010 at such a fee being paid for an unknown quantity, Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he had never seen play, United's position is that until any accusations are levelled specifically at them there is no need to become involved.

"There is no need to comment at this stage because no one is alleging any wrongdoing by us," a United spokesman said.

Portuguese police believe up to £3m of the money United paid out cannot now be accounted for, and are investigating Vitória claims that roughly that amount went to the player's agent, Jorges Mendes.

While there is no suggestion of any actual illegality on United's behalf, the issue remains a major embarrassment for the club, who must have been hoping the loan deal that saw Bébé farmed out to Besiktas for a season would foreshadow a quiet sale in summer to bring an end to one of Ferguson's most bizarre transfer deals.

Apparently signed on the recommendation of Carlos Queiroz, the former United assistant coach and national team manager of Portugal, Bébé made only three starts for United and never looked remotely good enough, and when stories began to circulate that he had been available the season before for as little as £125,000 the general feeling among fans was that he would have been poor value even at that price.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/14/manchester-united-bebe-transfer-probe

[lfcred]

It is the most questionable transfer ever this one! Can't understand that Ferguson would spend 8 million on a player he had not seen before!

[malg]

Well I remember a damning documentary not so long ago (undercover journo etc) revealing enough evidence to warrant inquiry into Mr. Ferguson's dealings. Nowt came out of it.

Ye me to. How did nothing come out of that documentary. I do feel ferguson is a very corrupt yet clever manager.