THE heads of UEFA, Italy's league and clubs met in Rome yesterday to discuss the controversial Bosman ruling but were divided over how to address its wide ranging implications.

UEFA president Lennart Johansson, from whom many Italian clubs had expected guidance on how to deal with a ruling that has thrown European soccer into chaos, said the clubs should solve the problem themselves.

"I tell the clubs that the path to follow is an agreement among themselves," Johansson said. "In defence of national identities, an accord could be reached to field a majority of players from the country of each league."

But some serie A clubs said they had now accepted that they could sign an unlimited number of non Italians, while others said a `gentleman's agreement' among clubs on how many foreigners to play would violate EU law.

"Today I understood that I can sign as many foreigners as I please," Giorgio Pedraneschi, the president of UEFA Cup holders Parma, said.

Adriano Galliani, the managing director of AC Milan, commented: "I don't believe in `gentleman's agreements', and besides, anyone who puts up a limit will face sanctions from the EU".

Meanwhile, Manchester United yesterday confirmed that they have held talks with AC Milan about establishing a player exchange system aimed at circumventing the Bosman ruling. Under the proposed agreement, Milan would have first option on any United player coming to the end of his contract, and vice versa.

Last week the European Commission gave UEFA six weeks to comply with the ruling or face possible fines. On Tuesday UEFA asked the Commission for a meeting to discuss how to structure the game following the ruling.

Johansson said that when European Cup competitions resumed in March, UEFA would be "ready to respect the norms under which the cups began this season". Under those rules, teams can field no more than three foreigners.

Asked what UEFA would do if clubs ignored the rules, Johannson said: "We won't be able to issue judicial sanctions, only moral ones. But I know the club presidents, and they won't do anything crazy. Besides, I hope we can reach an agreement on this before the cups resume."

Cagliari owner Massimo Cellino said the ruling was too wide ranging and called for more specific rules. "If I can freely sell wheat in Stockholm or Paris, then what's to stop me from signing Cagliari up for the Swedish or the French league?" he asked.

"This situation requires clear and strong norms, otherwise it's going to be a disaster," he said.