More Carnage at the FA

[Greenman]

BUNGBUSTERS TO QUIZ MACCA

By Rob Beasley

ENGLAND boss Steve McClaren faces being quizzed by bung busters after Middlesbrough owner Steve Gibson expressed concern over Yakubu's transfer.

The News of the World can confirm the £7.5million signing of Yakubu from Portsmouth is one of the 39 deals being investigated by Lord Stevens' inquiry into Premier League transfers.

And we can also name the EIGHT clubs being investigated over these deals.

They are: Middlesbrough, Bolton, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Southampton, Birmingham and West Brom.

Former Metropolitan Police chief Stevens announced last week that 39 deals are under suspicion.

The Yakubu deal involved soccer super-agent Pini Zahavi, who has close business links with the player's former Israeli club, Maccabi Haifa.

It is understood £3m went back to Haifa and last night Riverside supremo Gibson said: "I'm not sure how that could have happened.

"But I know there was a pretty complex deal between Portsmouth and Haifa and that might explain the payment.

"If there is an investigation it may be because of Pini's relationship with Haifa."

McClaren was in charge at Boro when Yakubu signed last year. There is nothing to suggest he broke any rules but investigators will be looking at where the £7.5m transfer fee went.

Haifa sold Yakubu to Pompey in April 2003 for £1.5m but, in an unusual deal, retained 50 per cent ownership of the player.

But Gibson insisted: "We're more than comfortable we adhered to the letter of the law."

[Colr]

No wonder the salery for doing the England job is so high. Its a passport to having your life pulled apart by the tabloids. Hope his marriage is strong.