Premiership: We haven't signed Veron - United

Juan Veron’s move to Manchester United is still up in the air - with the club insisting no deal has been agreed for the Argentinian midfielder.

A United spokesman today said: "We have not signed Veron. If we had, with the amount of money involved we would have had to inform the Stock Exchange."

United have held talks with Veron’s representatives and his Italian club Lazio, but reports that Sir Alex Ferguson had a meeting to finalise the deal yesterday are wide of the mark.

If Veron joins United, it is likely to be the second time that the Premiership champions have broken the British transfer record this year.

He will cost around £22m - £3m more than Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy who joined the club from PSV Eindhoven earlier this summer.

However, there remains a cloud over Veron should he be found guilty of playing under false documentation.

FIFA today confirmed that Veron would receive a worldwide ban from football if the Italian federal prosecutor, acting on behalf of the Italian FA (FIGC), rules against him.

Thus any potential transfer would be scuppered should Veron, who is accused of possessing papers which falsely claim he has Italian ancestry, be banned by FIFA.

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said: "The FIFA Executive Committee met last Wednesday to discuss in principle the extension of bans for doping, match rigging and false passports.

"In this case if there is formalisation of a ban by the Italian FA, then the ban would be extended to a worldwide level."

Veron faces a hearing today and the precedents leave little room for hope.

This week the federal prosecutor has already recommended a two-year ban for Inter Milan’s Uruguayan star Alvaro Recoba, AC Milan’s Brazilian goalkeeper Dida, former Roma stars Fabio Junior and Gustavo Bartelt, and Vicenza’s Jeda e Dedh.

The formal sentencing takes place between Monday and Wednesday of next week.

FIFA’s extension of bans reflects their policy on failed drugs tests.

Holland international midfielder Edgar Davids and Portugal captain Fernando Couto both recently returned positive tests for nandrolone and received year-long bans from the Italian FA.

FIFA subsequently extended the sanctions to cover footballing activities worldwide.