CAUGHT! RIO AND CHELSEA MEET AGAIN
Apr 18 2005
Manchester United´s Rio Ferdinand and Chelsea chief Peter Kenyon are seen in a London restaurant together for a second time. On the same night they had an earlier " brief hello" that led to tap-up claims.
By Graham Brough
RIO Ferdinand and Chelsea chief Peter Kenyon - involved in tapping-up claims after an " accidental" meeting in a restaurant - spent up to three hours together that night.
It included a long get- together at a SECOND restaurant, after what was claimed to be a brief meeting at another eaterie.
At the second venue, the pair - in a party of five - changed places at one point to sit next to each other and have a serious talk.
SNAPPED: Ferdinand, circled left with Kenyon, circled right, at the restaurant
The footballer´s agent Pini Zahavi was also present at the Greek restaurant, where the group smashed plates in traditional style in appreciation of a belly dancer and singer.
The revelation blows a hole in Manchester United star Ferdinand´s claim that his encounter with Kenyon was a " brief hello" and Chelsea´s insistence that it was a " chance meeting in a public place".
Chelsea are already being probed over the alleged tapping-up of Ferdinand´s England colleague Ashley Cole, the Arsenal left back.
Man Utd´s Sir Alex Ferguson - furious after Mirror disclosures last week about the initial restaurant meeting - will be seething that a further get-together followed.
Ferdinand, who helped United into the FA Cup final yesterday, is discussing a contract extension with the club and wants his £70,000 a week salary increased to about £100,000. On Saturday April 9, Ferdinand had driven to London after United´s 2-0 defeat at Norwich.
He and Chelsea chief executive Kenyon, 51, met at the Carpaccio Italian restaurant near the London club´s Stamford Bridge base.
Ferdinand, 26, said later of Kenyon: " I went to meet my agent and he was there. It´s the truth. We said a brief hello and did not discuss football. I´ve no intention of leaving United."
Chelsea said: " This was a chance meeting in a public place...we´ve made it clear to United that we have no interest in signing Ferdinand."
Kenyon and Ferdinand left Carpaccio at different times.
The two men with Zahavi arrived together at the Elysee Greek restaurant, off Tottenham Court Road.
An 11.15pm reservation for a table for four had been made in Zahavi´s name. The party of five got there about midnight. Co-owner Ulysses Karageorgis, 72, said: " They ordered champagne and seemed very happy.
" There was a hen-party and the girls made a fuss of Rio and wanted their picture taken with him.
" Rio´s party stayed for two hours, maybe two and a half hours. They ate fresh fruit and ordered several bottles of Moet and Chandon."
Mr Karageorgis said that at first Ferdinand and Kenyon were one place apart at the table.
He added: " Later they changed places. For a while Rio sat next to Kenyon and chatted together, sometimes joking, sometimes seriously.
" About 2am Ferdinand´s chauffeur came and he left alone. He had drunk champagne but he wasn´t drunk.
" Then Mr Zahavi ordered a taxi for the others."
All parties insisted after news of the Carpaccio meeting emerged that football was not discussed, nor was a transfer
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