A COMMON refrain from Sir Alex Ferguson is that Manchester United are no longer the feather-dusters of Europe. They are no soft touch when it comes to the Champions League penchant for conning referees, feigning injury and perfect tens for penalty pirouettes. United, we are told, have grown out of their shorts.

It is a contentious claim from Ferguson, whose side flattered to deceive once more in Europe. As Don King might have put it: Milan are the team, who beat the team, who beat the team, who beat Manchester United. Even Rock Of Gibraltar’s owner might concede that it’s hardly a flattering form-line.

United have certainly progressed, yet in the Machiavellian world of transfers, driven by cut-throat presidents and benefactors of inestimable wealth, United seem to trail behind their fellow European giants. One big name after the other solicits Old Trafford, only to sign elsewhere.

A case in point is the continuing transfer saga of Ronaldinho. After months spent pursuing a prime target, United’s negotiators returned to Manchester with the scent of a winning chase. Then what happens? It transpires that Robert Assis, Ronaldinho’s agent, has negotiated the very same opportunity with Real Madrid and Barcelona. Some agent, that Assis. But then, he is Ronaldinho’s brother.

Insult was added to injury when Assis ventured earlier this week: “He (Ronaldinho) has more friends in Madrid than elsewhere, so that might influence our decision.” You can almost hear the chuckles across Spanish boardrooms.

David Beckham’s appeal is such that United have no option but to embroil themselves in the European way. Despite the club’s repeated denouncements of the way that Europe’s elite do business, only the elite can afford him.

Beckham is a unique case for United: a player being sold at the peak of his powers. Jaap Stam’s departure to Lazio was hasty; no auction involved. As habitual buyers, United have only ever been privy to their own side of negotiations. Now they stand to glean plenty from the guile and cunning of European suitors knocking at their door.

Real Madrid are notoriously difficult negotiators. Many a smokescreen will be laid between now and any signing of Beckham. United are in for a crash course in the European transfer art, at the end of which, they may recognise that their own purchasing efforts have lacked the sophisticated contortions of deals of this magnitude. Even in the sale of Beckham, United may find themselves out on a limb. The player’s role as a pawn in the Barcelona presidential aspirations of Joan Laporta is nothing new. But those who believe that the Catalan lawyer may himself be being used as a pawn in the Beckham bidding war may be misguided. Men such as Laporta have a habit of delivering.

Three years ago, Luis Figo, then of Barcelona, was in a similar predicament to Beckham when Florentino Perez had eyes on the Real Madrid presidency. Figo danced with the devil: believing Perez had no chance of winning the vote, he accepted an offer that would enrich him beyond reason even if Perez failed.

When Perez succeeded, Figo found himself in a nasty clutch. Should he fail to make the £40 million move to Barça’s sworn enemy, he would have to pay Perez £20 million compensation.

At least Beckham has some idea of what lies in store — unlike Hernan Crespo, the Parma player who, in 2000, knew absolutely nothing of his £36 million sale to Lazio until the ink on the contract was dry.

Juventus, bankrolled by the Agnelli family, started the trend in the 1970s when paying exorbitant fees for players they didn’t actually want. What they wanted even less was for those players to end up with rival clubs. The theme has been refined considerably over three decades. In Ronaldinho’s case, reports linking him to Real suggest that the Spanish club would like to sign him one year from now. In other words, Real don’t want him until 2004, which suits Paris Saint-Germain, who want to retain him anyway.

The message to Ronaldinho is clear: if he wants to play for Real he can do so, but he will have to wait a year. Join Barcelona or United now and the door closes. Where that leaves United’s pursuit of the Brazilian is anyone’s guess.

What is all too clear is that Beckham is surplus to Ferguson’s thinking. By making the £30 million deal public, United have forced Real’s hand. But only if Laporta wins the Barcelona presidential election tomorrow will Real be compelled to act. Despite his assurances to the contrary, Laporta’s failure would almost certainly burst the Beckham-for-Barça bubble.

What then? Well, that £30 million is no longer on the table, freeing Real to make a lesser bid, playing snakes and ladders to the best of their ability. They know that Beckham’s preferred destination is Madrid and will use it to their advantage. As buyers, United can back out of any proposed transfer if the waters become too murky. As sellers, they have little choice but to swim in them.

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