League Tells Spurs to Prove United Tapped Up Berbatov

The Premier League has decided there is not enough hard evidence to charge Manchester United with making an illegal approach for the Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov.

Instead, officials are to ask Spurs if they can supply conclusive proof to corroborate what their chairman, Daniel Levy, has described as "a blatant example of sheer arrogance and interference". Enough suspicion has been aroused for the League not to throw out the case summarily, but when a three-man panel discussed the matter for the first time yesterday it concluded that Spurs' initial submission could not be considered legally watertight.

United will also be requested to supply more information to defend themselves in a dispute that has caused a serious rift between the clubs. The League wants a more detailed account before deciding whether United did contact a player who is contracted to another club.

That process is likely to take several weeks and unless Spurs can produce irrefutable evidence, the probability is that the case will be closed. There is also a strong feeling that the London club might drop the complaint if, as expected, Berbatov's move to Old Trafford is concluded before the end of the month.

David Gill, United's chief executive, has reopened negotiations with Levy and Dimitar Berbatov the matter has advanced in the last few days. Berbatov was training with Tottenham yesterday but has been encouraged to learn that the dispute between the clubs will not affect his chances of moving.

Meanwhile David Silva, for whom United made a bid, according to his agent, is to stay with Valencia after the club agreed a salary increase on the Spanish international's contract, which has five years to run. "It's very satisfying to see the player's willingness to stay. The club will not do anything crazy or break our financial and sporting guidelines, so we have gone as far as we have been able to," said Valencia's vice-president, Fernando Gomez.

Rangers are expected to make an approach to Birmingham City for James McFadden, the Scotland international who can leave St Andrew's for a set fee following their relegation to the Championship. Walter Smith is anxious to add midfielders and forwards to his squad and has cash available after Carlos Cuéllar's £7.8m departure to Aston Villa. Wages may be a stumbling block, with the former Everton player understood to earn about £30,000 a week, but Rangers would hope to coax McFadden with the guarantee of a key role and an annual salary of £1.3m.

Celtic have expressed an interest in the £4m-rated Wolfsburg defender Alexander Madlung. The 26-year-old has been capped twice by Germany.