" Fergie denies Veron move"
Veron cost Man Utd £28.1m
Sir Alex Ferguson insists Juan Sebastian Veron will stay with Manchester United despite his agent meeting Chelsea to discuss a projected £15m move to Stamford Bridge.
The United boss claimed to know nothing of Fernando Hidalgo´s assertion that he was meeting Chelsea officials on Wednesday to discuss the Argentine´s transfer.
Instead Ferguson claimed Hidalgo was acting without authority and that Veron will be in the starting line-up to face Juventus at New York´s Giants Stadium on Thursday.
" Seba is a terrific player and I want him to stay," reiterated Ferguson. " I don´t know anything about the speculation.
" Agents talk to a lot of people, they have a lot of power and sometimes they can think different things to the player.
" But Seba is a mature man. He is very experienced and he knows what he wants.
Seba is a marvellous player and he is contracted to us
Sir Alex Ferguson
" If there was a situation arising I´m sure he would talk to me. He hasn´t done so and I´m quite happy about that."
Ferguson admitted last week that Veron had turned down an initial approach from Chelsea.
And he remains confident the 28-year-old will still be at the club when United begin the defence of their Premiership title against Bolton on 16 August.
" My impression was that he had settled down, everything had gone quiet and there was no problem," Ferguson added.
" Seba is a marvellous player and he is contracted to us. It is going to be difficult for a deal to be done tomorrow. He will be playing for us."
Newspaper reports suggested United have accepted an improved £15m bid for Veron, who cost them £28.1m from Lazio two years ago.
Chelsea are reported to be willing to match the Argentine´s current wages of £90,000 a week and the player is said to be warming to a move to Stamford Bridge.
" The meeting with Chelsea on Wednesday is very important," Hidalgo told The Guardian."Everything is okay at the moment but we will need to confirm what we discussed on Tuesday.
" If Seba is very happy with what Chelsea offer, then we will close the contract with Manchester United."
United chief executive Peter Kenyon claimed on Sunday he had not received a formal offer for Veron from Chelsea.
But Ferguson later confirmed Chelsea´s interest. " There was a situation where Chelsea tried to buy him," he said.
" I left it to him and he wants to stay and that´s good."