Heinze: I deserved better

Argentine thinks United should have treated him better

By Lewis Rutledge   Last updated: 26th August 2007

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Heinze: Wants to meet United in Europe

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Gabriel Heinze feared he would not have played a single minute all season if he had stayed at Manchester United.

The Argentine defender secured a move to Real Madrid earlier this week, after United prevented him from joining Premier League rivals Liverpool.

Heinze claimed a letter signed by chief executive David Gill indicating United would be willing to sell at a price of £6.8million constituted official approval for him to leave, but United disagreed and a three-man panel brought together to settle the dispute found in favour of the club.

He had been expected to appeal that decision before completing his move to Real, as he knew he had no future at Old Trafford.

"I deserved better treatment after my efforts for the club," he told the News of the World.

"I had to leave because I am convinced (Sir Alex) Ferguson would not give me a minute all season.

"Now I would love to play United in the Champions League."

World Cup dispute

Heinze believes Ferguson was unhappy with his involvement in last summer's World Cup after spending almost the whole of the 2005/06 season sidelined with a serious knee injury.

"I went to Spain for recovery but Ferguson thought it would be impossible for me to play in Germany to the proper conditions," he said.

"You could say I won the bet but I upset him and from that moment on, things were different between us."