FOOTBALL: VERON STORMS OUT
JUAN Sebastian Veron has walked out on Manchester United, vowing never to play for the club again.
It follows a massive bust-up with five leading United stars after United's Champions League exit against Bayer Leverkusen.
The row erupted in the dressing room almost immediately after last Tuesday's 1-1 draw in Germany and spilled over to the airport where a group of players continued to vent their anger at the Argentinian star, claiming his indifferent performances for the club had cost United dearly. Two United stars had to physically restrain their team-mates as the row got increasingly heated.
Veron stood his ground but later stormed off, insisting he would never pull on a United shirt again.
On Thursday he flew to Rome with his family and has remained in the Italian capital refusing to come back.
And last night there was further evidence that he may have played his last game in the Premiership.
It was revealed that Lazio's new manager Roberto Mancini had been in contact with Veron, hours after United were ditched out of the Champions League. The respected Italian sports newspaper Corriere dello Sport said the player would be willing to return to Lazio and had spoken with Mancini several times in the past few days. It said the pair had arranged to meet soon.
Veron has already denied a succession of stories linking him with a return to Lazio following his record £28.5 million move to Old Trafford last summer.
United have tried to play down rumours of a rift and claim Veron is merely in Rome to receive treatment for an on-going Achilles problem.
But a close friend of the Argentine says that unless Sir Alex Ferguson can persuade the player to return Veron will not be back for the title show-down with arch rivals Arsenal on Wednesday and will never play for the club again.
He said: "He was prepared to stay at United but this bust-up is the final straw and he will not be coming back.
"Sebastian is fed up of being blamed for everything and he is extremely angry at the treatment he has received at the hands of some United players.
"He has made it clear to the club that it would best for all concerned if they can agree a fee with Lazio and secure his return to Rome."
Lazio are likely to lose lose two key Argentinian players, Hernan Crespo and Claudio Lopez during the summer - but even their departures will not prevent Veron from returning.
Reports earlier in the season said the United player would only return if Crespo and Lopez stayed at Lazio but he is so fed up with Old Trafford that he will still leave even though his closest friends have left.
JUAN Sebastian Veron has walked out on Manchester United, vowing never to play for the club again.
It follows a massive bust-up with five leading United stars after United's Champions League exit against Bayer Leverkusen.
The row erupted in the dressing room almost immediately after last Tuesday's 1-1 draw in Germany and spilled over to the airport where a group of players continued to vent their anger at the Argentinian star, claiming his indifferent performances for the club had cost United dearly. Two United stars had to physically restrain their team-mates as the row got increasingly heated.
Veron stood his ground but later stormed off, insisting he would never pull on a United shirt again.
On Thursday he flew to Rome with his family and has remained in the Italian capital refusing to come back.
And last night there was further evidence that he may have played his last game in the Premiership.
It was revealed that Lazio's new manager Roberto Mancini had been in contact with Veron, hours after United were ditched out of the Champions League. The respected Italian sports newspaper Corriere dello Sport said the player would be willing to return to Lazio and had spoken with Mancini several times in the past few days. It said the pair had arranged to meet soon.
Veron has already denied a succession of stories linking him with a return to Lazio following his record £28.5 million move to Old Trafford last summer.
United have tried to play down rumours of a rift and claim Veron is merely in Rome to receive treatment for an on-going Achilles problem.
But a close friend of the Argentine says that unless Sir Alex Ferguson can persuade the player to return Veron will not be back for the title show-down with arch rivals Arsenal on Wednesday and will never play for the club again.
He said: "He was prepared to stay at United but this bust-up is the final straw and he will not be coming back.
"Sebastian is fed up of being blamed for everything and he is extremely angry at the treatment he has received at the hands of some United players.
"He has made it clear to the club that it would best for all concerned if they can agree a fee with Lazio and secure his return to Rome."
Lazio are likely to lose lose two key Argentinian players, Hernan Crespo and Claudio Lopez during the summer - but even their departures will not prevent Veron from returning.
Reports earlier in the season said the United player would only return if Crespo and Lopez stayed at Lazio but he is so fed up with Old Trafford that he will still leave even though his closest friends have left.
