United Terminate Barthez's Contract

Manchester United have confirmed that they have agreed to terminate out-of-favour goalkeeper Fabien Barthez's contract with effect on June 30th.

Barthez is currently enjoying a loan-spell at French outfit Marseille until the end of the season and did his fair bit to help knock Liverpool out of the UEFA Cup recently. 

The eccentric World Cup winner, 32, has been a forgotten man since the arrival of American Tim Howard and Sir Alex Ferguson favours Roy Carroll as No.2 rather than Barthez, despite Howard being dropped recently.

"Manchester United has reached agreement with Fabien Barthez to terminate his contract with the club with effect from 30 June 2004," read a club statement.

"Barthez joined Manchester United in June 2000 for £7.8 million from AS Monaco and was contracted to the club until June 2006,"

But the it won't be cheap to let him go. "As a result of this agreement, the second-half results will include a write-off of the un-amortised balance of the original registration cost and compensation to the player on termination. The total charge will be £5million,"