Butt is swayed by Miller signing

News: Manchester United want a fee of around £5 million for Nicky Butt after reluctantly accepting his transfer request. As a result the England midfielder might have to go on loan for the rest of the season as so few of his admirers are able to afford him.

Butt, 29 next week and earning £45,000 a week, as well as bonuses, would cost around £16 million if he got a five-year contract.

That has priced out the likes of Birmingham, Blackburn and Everton, all of whom would love to sign him. Of the other clubs monitoring his situation, Newcastle have a surplus of midfielders and have made a striker their priority, Middlesbrough have spoken to United but are balking at the financial implications and Manchester City last night added their name to the list who cannot afford him.

One option is for Butt to secure a loan deal before moving somewhere permanently at the end of the season. He is not thought to want to move abroad, but Celtic or Rangers would be an attraction.

Butt, who would be reluctant to move to one of United's rivals, saw the signing of Celtic's Republic of Ireland international Liam Miller as the final straw.

He described his position as "dire" in December and is mindful that his peripheral role could jeopardise his chances at Euro 2004. In the end, he is so determined to leave he is forsaking a testimonial.

Tord Grip, the assistant to the England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, said a move would enhance Butt's international prospects. "It is better for him to get back playing regularly," the Swede said.

Meanwhile, Real Valladolid boss Fernando Vasquez has turned down a fresh approach from Alex Ferguson to become his assistant. Vasquez initially rejected Ferguson's offer to succeed Carlos Queiroz during the summer and confirmed the United boss has attempted to lure him to England again.

"Manchester United have renewed their interest but I cannot suddenly abandon the project I have started at Valladolid," he said. "I am a man of ethics and principles and I only leave a club if the board gets rid of me. When Manchester United call you it is difficult to say no because they are one of the best clubs in the world in all senses."

Ferguson has been operating without a recognised assistant since Queiroz took up an unmissable offer to coach Real Madrid during the summer. Former United midfielder Mike Phelan stepped into the breach on a temporary basis and has impressed Ferguson in the six months he has been doing the job.

However, Ferguson knows he needs an extra body in his coaching team and, after the success of Queiroz in the role, is clearly looking abroad.

"It is something we are addressing on a daily basis and I am looking to do something quite quickly," Ferguson told MUTV.

"We had someone in mind before Christmas but he decided to stay where he was. Mike Phelan has been fantastic as first-team coach but we need that extra body."

Manchester United will hit the commercial jackpot if the arrival of 18-year-old Chinese wonderboy Dong Fangzhou proves to be an unqualified success.

United confirmed they have secured the services of the young striker last night, even though he will have to join Belgian feeder club Royal Antwerp first as he does not yet qualify for a British work permit.

While it is the on-field ability of the under-23 international, who will head to Antwerp later this month, that will prove the determining factor in whether he has a long-term future at Old Trafford, it will not just be Ferguson who will be keen to know whether he makes it or not.

With a population exceeding one billion and a blossoming economy, the Chinese market is seen as one of the most lucrative on the planet.

Manchester City and Everton have already benefited from the arrivals of Sun Jihai and Li Tie respectively, and such is the Premiership's popularity in China that an estimated 300 million viewers tuned in when the two clubs faced each other at the beginning of December.

That number would swell even further should Dong prove to be a success at Old Trafford, and with United due to play two games in China as part of the 2005 pre-season tour, the economic benefits could be colossal.

"Traditionally, Manchester United have always been the most popular team in China," said Liu Guang, sportswriter for the Beijing-based Xinhua news agency. "Because of the Chinese players at Everton and Manchester City, it is about equal between the three teams now but if Dong Fangzhou proved to be a success, the commercial spin-offs would be quite spectacular.

"Already, United have set up sports shops and coffee bars and in places like Beijing and Shanghai replica shirts are available just as they are in any other city in the world."

It had been expected that United's popularity in the Far East would dip following David Beckham's departure for Real Madrid.

Instead, the club have merely stepped up their marketing campaign in an effort to maintain their support.

Bobby Charlton and Wes Brown went on a five-day goodwill trip to China just before Christmas and the next Far East tour, which will also include games in Japan is expected to sell out months in advance.