Fergie rages at Liverpool over Heinze

United are determined not to sell Argentina left back Heinze to Liverpool and turned down a £6million offer from them last week.

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Liverpool dream: Gabriel Heinze

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez last night revealed that the club's lawyers are looking at ways to extricate Heinze from his United contract which has two years left to run.

But United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hit back by stating that his club are now investigating when contact between Liverpool and Heinze's agent Roberto Rodriguez was first made.

Under Premier League rules, prospective buyers are not allowed to speak to a player unless given permission by his club.

Last night Ferguson, who has lost midfielder Paul Scholes for at least three weeks with a knee injury, said: "Gabriel Heinze will not be joining Liverpool. We're examining some of the statements coming from his agent and when contact was first made.

"We're not happy with the agent's conduct and we're examining that as well, but it will take a couple of days before we have anything more to say."

Ferguson's comments yesterday came after his team beat Chinese side Shenzhen FC 6-0 in Macau, the third game of their four-match visit to the Far East. Portugal's Nani scored one of the goals on his debut.

By coincidence Liverpool are only 40 miles away from United, having landed in Hong Kong yesterday ahead of the biennial Premier League Asia Trophy.

Speaking before Ferguson revealed United's intentions, Benitez confirmed he was keen for Heinze to become the first to move from United to Liverpool since Phil Chisnall in 1964.

"We made the offer and they rejected it. Now the lawyers are working on it," said the Liverpool manager. "We have to wait. We're still trying to push the deal through because he's a good player and one we like."

United's journey across Asia has been a great success but a little of the shine was taken off yesterday when it emerged that Scholes had travelled home for surgery on his knee.

It is suspected he has a cartilage problem. Ferguson said: "We hope it's not serious but he'll need three weeks or maybe a month to recover. Paul felt his knee in the last game, so we sent him for a scan which showed discolouration around the cartilage."

A month's absence would mean Scholes sitting out not only United's opening Premiership game against Reading at Old Trafford but also the trip to Portsmouth three days later and the following weekend's Manchester derby.

There was also discouraging news last night about their South Korea midfielder Ji-sung Park.

He is not expected back until the turn of the year after cruciate surgery and last night his national team coach Pim Verbeek said: "From what I've heard, his knee is not in a good condition for a 26-year-old. To save his career it's probably better for him to take more time to recover."

Liverpool meet South China in Hong Kong today and are expected to hand a first start to new signing Fernando Torres.

Skipper Steven Gerrard has hailed Liverpool's £42m summer spending spree and declared: "Now it's time for us to deliver."

Gerrard has watched Torres, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, Andriy Voronin and Brazilian Lucas arrive as Liverpool try to become champions for the first time in 18 seasons.

Gerrard said: "We're stronger as a team and a squad this season. I'm really happy with the players the gaffer has brought in.

"We're very ambitious. The manager has been backed with good money this summer and has spent it well. Now is the time for us to deliver.

"The Premier League is our main priority. That's the one we want most of all. If I could pick one trophy to win, it would be the league because, from a purely selfish point of view, it's the only one I haven't won."