"I'd love to know what on earth Liverpool can actually do to require Manchester United to give up their rights under their contract with Heinze," said Peter Goodman, a partner in SA Law of St Albans. Heinze and Liverpool appear to be basing their case on a letter Heinze says Manchester United gave him, stating that he can leave Old Trafford should any other club offer a sum in the region of £6m-£7m.
Meanwhile David Gill, United's chief executive, says this document is "meaningless" - and particularly in the context of Heinze potentially leaving for a principal domestic adversary - arguing that Sir Alex Ferguson would never have countenanced the possibility of such a move.
"Unfortunately we don't know the content of that letter but Liverpool's chances of signing Heinze almost certainly depend on the detail within that note and whether it can be construed as a legally binding commitment to sell him to anyone who offers £6m. The key question is does it replace the original contract," added Goodman, who doubts whether a club as legally savvy as United would have furnished a player with a document worded sufficiently strongly to supersede a key part of his original agreement.
"From what United are saying it seems the letter is not a commitment to sell him. If so, it is difficult to see how Liverpool can succeed," he said. Goodman also explained that Heinze spurned an opportunity, under Fifa regulations, to buy himself out of his contract during a five-week "grace period" at the end of the season when football's ruling body offers restless but contracted players an escape clause, albeit at a price. "One option for Heinze would have been to buy himself out of his contract in accordance with Fifa regulations but he has left it too late, the deadline has passed," said Goodman.
The Liverpool manager, Rafael Benítez, however, remains determined to continue his legal battle. He confirmed he has called in Liverpool's lawyers to try to extricate Heinze from the final two years of his Old Trafford contract, leaving Ferguson facing a possible High Court battle.
Ferguson mounted an angry response to Benítez's move to bring in the lawyers by accusing the player's representatives of going behind the champions' back to try to force the deal through. Benítez refused to be drawn further into the dispute: "I do not want to say any more about that."
Speaking after Liverpool booked their place in the Asia Trophy final after a 3-1 win over the Hong Kong side South China FC, Benítez said: "We have made an offer which United rejected. The matter is now in the hands of our lawyers and we will have to wait and see what happens. He is a player I would like."
Benítez claims he received documentation, signed by a senior United official, confirming Heinze's availability. "A lot of clubs, in many different countries, knew what the situation was," he said. "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."
On the field John Arne Riise inspired Liverpool to victory in front of a 40,000- full house at Hong Kong's national stadium. He put Liverpool in front with a 10th-minute free-kick. Xabi Alonso added Liverpool's second with a 28th-minute penalty after Andriy Voronin was fouled.
A mistake by the England goalkeeper Scott Carson enabled South China's captain Li Haiqiang to pull a goal back with a 40-yard free-kick in the 35th minute. Benítez was quick to defend Carson, whom he expects to rival Pepe Reina for the No1 jersey at Anfield this season. He said: "It was one mistake and we cannot judge Scott on that alone. He is a good goalkeeper and I am sure he will recover from this."
Liverpool's passage into Friday's final with Portsmouth, who beat Fulham 1-0 in the day's earlier semi-final, was secured when the centre-back Daniel Agger scored their third goal 16 minutes from time after neat interplay with Dirk Kuyt.
Liverpool were without injured captain, Steven Gerrard, and new signings Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres, who were without international clearance to play. Benítez praised the Ukrainian newcomer Voronin: "He is doing really well. It is early but we knew he would be a good player because Andriy is intelligent and, when you come and play with better players, you better yourself."