By Matthew Jones
June 27 2002

United have made a formal complaint to the Football League over Sylvain Distin's £4million move to Manchester City last month. The Magpies have accused the Premiership new-boys of illegally approaching the French defender, with their complaint now having been passed on to the Football Association. United have made a formal complaint to the Football League over Sylvain Distin's £4million move to Manchester City last month.

The Magpies have accused the Premiership new-boys of illegally approaching the 24-year-old French defender, with their complaint now having been passed on to the Football Association.

However, City deny any such accusation, with chairman David Bernstein stating that there is no foundation to Newcastle's complaint.

The FA confirmed that City have been asked for their observations on the complaint, and that they were waiting for a response.

Distin joined United on loan from Paris Saint-Germain last September, but when The Magpies failed to sort out a permanent deal for him at the end of the season, City moved in to sign the defender on a four-year contract.

Newcastle claim, however, that The Blues made an illegal approach to Distin before the end of last season, with the north-east club claiming that they had an option to sign him up until the end of May.

However, that claim is flatly denied by Distin's representatives, who have revealed that the defender was able to discuss a move elsewhere from the middle of April.