Saha not for sale, repeats Coleman

FULHAM boss Chris Coleman last night remained defiant in the face of Manchester United’s renewed attempts to lure Louis Saha to Old Trafford by insisting the Frenchman is “absolutely not for sale.”

Alex Ferguson has made a fresh stg£10million bid for the in-form 25-year-old French striker as he looks to relieve the goal-scoring burden on Ruud van Nistelrooy.

But Coleman blasted: "I've seen all the quotes and the various newspapers from France. It may get worse before it gets better. But the bottom line is that myself, the chairman and everyone at the club all agree that Louis is absolutely not for sale."

"There can be a third, fourth, fifth or sixth bid for Louis but he's staying here, and that's that. I don't expect it to be easy between now and the end of the month.

"It's difficult for Louis because he thinks the chance to join Manchester United will never come again.

"But in order for a player to leave the club you need a buyer and seller. But at the moment there is no seller, and that's where it ends. It could be different in the summer but at this moment in time there is no discussion because he is not for sale."

Coleman, preparing his side for today's clash with Everton, has accused Saha's agent of behaving in an "appalling" manner.

"I know he's been getting into Louis' head. It was blasted all over the newspapers that I thought Ferguson was a bully but I meant that Louis' agent was a bully," he said.

"The day an agent comes into my office and tries to tell me that one of my players will be leaving because it suits them is the day that I will leave the job. I'll never allow that to happen I won't be bullied by an agent or anyone else."

Arsene Wenger has backed Coleman in his dispute but warned that almost every disgruntled player has his price, as Wenger knows from bitter experience with Nicolas Anelka.

"It's quite simple when a player has a contract, you need agreement between three parties and that means Chris Coleman is in the right.

"When you sign the contract, nobody puts a gun to your head. But if long-term contracts have no meaning, why should anyone sign them?

"There always becomes a price when Fulham might say yes.

"Do you want to sell your house? You might say no. But if someone offers you three times the value, what would you do then?" said Wenger.

"If United put a bid of stg£20million in, I'm sure that Saha would be at Old Trafford tomorrow."