United makes daring move for Sterling

LONDON — Manchester United has lit the fuse on what will be the transfer saga of the summer by contacting Liverpool to express interest in signing Raheem Sterling.

The Merseyside club instantly rebuffed the inquiry from Old Trafford, making it clear they have no wish to sell the 20-year-old and would certainly never do business with United.

It is a daring, if somewhat optimistic move by United and Louis van Gaal. The manager evidently sees Sterling as a player who can enhance his side ahead of a title challenge, but the weight of history is against the Dutchman if he expects Liverpool to open negotiations with their North-West neighbours.

No player has moved directly from Liverpool to Manchester United in 77 years, since Allenby Chilton was signed to play at Old Trafford in 1938. It has been almost as long since anyone went the other way. It was in April 1964 that Bill Shankly paid 25,000 pounds to sign United’s Phil Chisnall. And thus made lasting history.

In the 51 years since Chisnall headed west to Merseyside, players have moved between Tottenham and Arsenal, Celtic and Rangers, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Carlos Tevez, Terry Cooke, John Gidman and Wyn Davies have all switched allegiance between United and Manchester City.

But between Liverpool and United there has been nothing at a senior level (though Scott Wootton, these days plying his trade at Rotherham, took up a place in United’s academy in 2007 after turning down an offer to remain at Liverpool’s).