Guardian:
‘Rio Ferdinand's agent declared last night that the defender was treating as "a joke" the controversy over his being caught breaking bread with Chelsea's chief executive Peter Kenyon at a London restaurant. "Manchester United should treat it like the joke of the century," said Pini Zahavi. "It is the mother of the joke of all jokes."
‘No one at Old Trafford was laughing, however, after scrutinising the reasons given for their most expensive player driving to London after Saturday's defeat at Norwich City to dine with Zahavi and Kenyon at Carpaccio, close to Stamford Bridge. The revelations have caused friction between the two clubs and Sir Alex Ferguson is understood to be highly suspicious about Chelsea's motives despite their insistence it was a "meeting purely by chance".
‘"Manchester United know the truth," said Zahavi. "It was totally innocent. Do you really think that if I wanted to arrange a meeting between Rio and Peter Kenyon I would do it at Carpaccio on a Saturday night? It really is a joke and that is how Rio is treating it.
‘However strongly Chelsea protest, Kenyon has previous for clandestine meetings with players from rival clubs and Ferguson is entitled to fear the worst, given that Zahavi told the Guardian that the London club wanted to sign Ferdinand as long ago as March last year.
‘Though he has chosen not to say anything on the record Ferguson was amazed by Chelsea's gall in meeting Cole in broad daylight at a London hotel rather than choosing a more private location, and would not put it past them to try a similar tactic with one of United's players. He is not alone at Old Trafford in being deeply mistrustful of Kenyon since his defection to Stamford Bridge and is particularly wary of the threat of his players being offered more lucrative financial packages at Stamford Bridge.
‘Ferguson has repeatedly offered his support to Ferdinand despite there being a strong argument that his eight-month suspension for missing a drugs test has caused irreparable damage in two unsuccessful campaigns, and judging by the caustic reaction on their websites the supporters are questioning whether that loyalty is being repaid.’