Manchester United have renewed their interest in Argentina's volatile midfielder Ariel Ortega. Preliminary negotiations between United officials and the Spanish club Valencia opened last weekend shortly after Argentina had been defeated by Holland in the quarter-finals - a game in which Ortega was dismissed after head-butting the Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

United are not alone in coveting Ortega; Liverpool and the Italian club Sampdoria have also asked to be kept informed of developments. Although it is less than 12 months since Ortega arrived in Spain, in an £11 million transfer from River Plate of Argentina, he is now regarded as surplus to requirements by Valencia after a series of squabbles with the club.

Despite his success in France 98, Ortega's sale by Valencia is inevitable in the best interests of club morale and internal discipline. It is likely he will be sold for around £9 million, but United will want to drive a hard bargain and with some justification - Valencia offered Ortega to them for £5 million four months ago.

However, if United were to agree a fee with Valencia for Oretga they would face the familiar problem of attempting to satisfy the monumental financial demands of a player who believes himself worth the highest of salaries and would probably demand around £40,000 a week. It was United's refusal to bow to the demands of already wealthy foreign players which scuppered a proposed £14 million deal brokered last season to bring the Chile striker Marcelo Salas to Old Trafford.

Meanwhile his fellow Chilean international, the 29-year-old central defender Javier Margas, is considering a move to West Ham. At present he plays for Universidad Catolica of Santiago but has said he is keen to move to the Premiership.

Liverpool's attempt to sign the Nigerian defender Taribo West collapsed yesterday when the player announced he intended to honour his contract with Inter Milan. The Merseyside club had agreed a £5 million fee with Inter on Monday, but West did not travel to England yesterday lunchtime as had been planned, insisting instead he wanted to remain in Italy.

The Juventus defender Moreno Torricelli has joined Fiorentina for £4.5 million. Torricelli helped Juventus to three Serie A titles and the European Cup in 1996.