Manchester United have already spent £500,000 (€720,000) fighting off Malcolm Glazer - and the figure will increase dramatically when the American finally tables a bid for the Old Trafford outfit.

Calls were made today for an overhaul of the system for checking the backgrounds of people working with children.

Manchester United chief executive David Gill has labelled Sepp Blatter’s criticism of the Old Trafford outfit’s decision to keep playing Rio Ferdinand as ‘incomprehensible’.