No deal for Escude

Manchester United’s attempt to capture Rennes full-back Julien Escude appears to have ended in failure.

Old Trafford chief executive Peter Kenyon met his French counterpart in Paris this evening but talks broke up without agreement after three hours and no more have yet been arranged.

Unless the deal can be revived, it means manager Sir Alex Ferguson may not be able to make the reinforcements to his squad he had hoped for ahead of Saturday’s international transfer deadline.