Liverpool have had a £6.8 million offer for the player rejected by United and Rafael Benítez was scathing about United's attitude towards a deal. "We sent in an offer for Heinze and they rejected it," the Liverpool manager said. "Now the lawyers have to talk. The agent has called in the lawyers, everybody knows the situation now all around the world."
Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, has been critical of the part played in the proposed deal by Heinze's agent, with the player and Liverpool claiming that a letter exists stating that the defender can leave Old Trafford if a club make a bid of £5.8 million.
Liverpool deny any suggestion that Heinze has been "tapped up". Ferguson has appeared to imply that there have been behind-the-scenes communications with the Argentina defender, but Liverpool privately insist that they would not have pursued Heinze so rigorously had there been any hint of impropriety.
Ferguson has made it clear that United do not want to sell to their fierce rivals and Benítez said: "I would rather now wait and see what happens next. A lot of clubs, in many different countries, knew what the situation was. I do not know what the problem is. We made an offer, they rejected it. I know what they are saying to the press, but everyone in the world knows they [United] signed a document."
The last man to transfer directly between the clubs said last night that Heinze will "have hell to pay" if he turns out at Old Trafford in a Liverpool shirt. Phil Chisnall made the move in the summer of 1964, when Bill Shankly paid Matt Busby £25,000 for the forward.
But Chisnall, who ran betting shops after he left the game, said that he did not experience the animosity that Heinze seems guaranteed to face if a transfer goes through. "When I moved to Liverpool, there was nothing like the intensity between the clubs that there is now," the 64-year-old said. "Liverpool had won the league, but they were quite new to the division and they were still viewed as the new boys.
"There were also so many teams capable of winning the league then that the United-Liverpool games weren't the be-all and end-all that they became in later years.
"There was no ill-feeling between the clubs. Bill Shankly and Matt Busby used to visit each other once a week and had almost a father-son relationship and enormous respect for each other. They were really close.
"For me, as a 22-year-old, it was a good move, even though I was born and raised in Davyhulme and I had spent my whole life at United. I was competing with the likes of Bobby Charlton and Denis Law for a place in the team and Liverpool was a good place to go. And it was only an hour down the road.
"The Beatles were becoming famous all over the world and the place was buzzing. I felt flattered that Bill Shankly wanted me."
Chisnall's wife suffered more disruption than he did. "The only person who was bothered was the missus," he said. "I told her I was going to play for Liverpool and it meant she had to take all the curtains down, pack up and move down the East Lancs Road. She wasn't too pleased.
"No one else said much, even though I was moving between two big teams. Back then it was just a footballer moving from one club to another. I was able to go to Old Trafford and play for Liverpool and get a good reception from the crowd. It is so different now. If Heinze turns up at Old Trafford in a Liverpool shirt, there will be hell to pay."
Reds at the double
Only eight players have made the move between Anfield and Old Trafford and two others have played for both clubs
Liverpool to Manchester United 1912 Tom Chorlton 1929 Tommy Reid 1938 Ted Savage, Allenby Chilton
United to Liverpool 1913 John Sheldon 1921 Fred Hopkin 1954 Tommy McNulty (£7,000) 1964 Phil Chisnall (£25,000)
Played for both Peter Beardsley: United (1982-83), Liverpool (1987-91) Paul Ince: United (1989-95), Liverpool (1997-99)