Troubled transfers of United players

Louis Saha
Bought from Fulham for £12.825m, January 2004

Concern over payment of £750,000 to agents and the involvement of Saha's representative Ranko Stojic, who has been investigated for bungs in Belgium, Holland, Germany and France.

Tim Howard
From New York/New Jersey Metrostars, £2.3m, July 2003

Mike Morris, a business partner of Jason Ferguson, secretly handed £139,000 for Howard transfer. United paid the commission to Swiss agent Gaetano Marotta, who then gave Morris his share.

David Bellion
From Sunderland, £2m in July 2003

Elite accused of making secret inducements to the player, including paying the bills for his mobile phone and Volkswagen Golf while Manchester United were courting him.

Cristiano Ronaldo
From Sporting Lisbon, £12.2m in August 2003

Questions asked about the transfer cost when clubs said to include Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus had agreed deals for less than half the final fee.

Kleberson
From Atletico Paranaense, £5.9m, August 2003

Worries about costs of £400,000 paid by United as well as the use of unlicensed agent when the player was desperate for a move away from his Brazilian club.

Jaap Stam
Sold to Lazio, £16.5m, August 2001

Morris and Elite involved in the deal against the express wishes of then chairman Sir Roland Smith. There is £1.4m commission on sale.