People will now be looking at the robustness of the [new] performance criteria.”Reed declined to comment but sources close to the company estimated that the new schemes, if triggered, would pay executives an average of £1m to £1.8m a year, on top of their salaries.. Manchester United is hoping to sell the overseas broadcasting rights to its Premiership games from next year as it seeks to make the club a genuinely global brand. But this runs out in June 2004 and United wants to sell its own rights to television companies overseas as well as to mobile phone groups which could show video clips of goals and other highlights.Peter Kenyon, Manchester United’s chief executive, said “We are supporters of collective domestic selling Manchester United is not interested in a break-away. But we do see a trend whereby clubs will get more rights back in areas like mobile and international.”The comments came as United reported a strong set of half-year results which contrasted sharply with the huge losses and heavy debt burden announced by Leeds United the previous day. But the board shed no more light on the intentions of the individual shareholders who have been building up significant stakes in the club.

These include Cubic Expression, a vehicle controlled by the horseracing entrepreneurs JP McManus and John Magnier, which holds 10.4 per cent. The club plans to see all its major shareholders over the next few days. Mr Kenyon also refused to be drawn on the transfer rumours surrounding the England captain David Beckham who has been linked with Real Madrid. “There has been no formal or informal approach,” he said.Manchester United’s pre-tax profits in the six months to 31 January fell by 34 per cent to £20.3m, though this was due to lower gains from the sale of players. Operating profits rose by 32 per cent to £31m helped by a £12m profit contribution from the group’s £303m, 13-year sponsorship deal with Nike.The figures were helped by six more home games in the period including several Worthington Cup fixtures. Total attendances rose to 1.5 million from 1.1 million.Player wages rose by £5m but still account for less than 50 per cent of group sales, which is the club’s target. As well as its new signings Rio Ferdinand and Diego Forlan, wage costs rose due to new contracts for David Beckham, Roy Keane and the manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

There is net cash of £3.7m on the balance sheet.Mr Kenyon said he expected continued downward pressure on player transfer values.Manchester United, currently second in the Premiership and through to the quarter finals of the lucrative Uefa Champions’ League, is planning to use database management techniques to make more money from its worldwide fan base of 53 million The shares closed up 2p at 130p.. There is growing concern among the UK’s mobile phone operators over the prospects for third-generation (3G) phone services as anecdotal evidence suggests it is not finding favour with consumers. It allows users to make video calls and watch short video clips.The source said: “In the first couple of weeks, we heard that one retailer had sold just one 3 handset in one of its busiest shops which, given the size of their [3's] advertising campaign, is a real worry.”3, which is controlled by Hong Kong’s Hutchison Whampoa, said recently it had sold about 10,000 handsets in the first couple of weeks since its 3/3/3 launch. The operator is spending tens of millions of pounds advertising the service this year alone.”If 3 doesn’t take off ­ and we’re all hoping it will ­ it’ll be bad for the industry as a whole,” the source said. “They could end up ruining it for everyone.”A report released yesterday by the Work Foundation found that the cost of running third-generation mobile phones was putting many people off buying the new technology.A separate survey, carried out by the phone supplier Dial-a-Phone, also found that the cost of the 3 handsets, were too expensive.

Sixty-three per cent of the respondents said they would consider buying a 3G handset if the price was more attractive.”Not surprisingly, the second barrier cited was friends and family not having 3G phones,” Richard O’Quinn, of Dial-a-Phone, said. Mr O’Quinn added that he expected 3G handset prices to drop “with new models priced highly and then reducing in price as more phones become available on the market.”3’s handsets cost between £399 and £449, although they are currently being offered at a discount, while its contract tariffs start at £59.99 a month.Analysts at Merrill Lynch said they thought 3’s current offering would interest only a “relatively limited” segment of the market, given the high handset price and the high tariffs. They noted, however, that shop staff had indicated that 3’s handset sales might now be closer to 20,000 in the UK.. Property shares fell yesterday as expectations rose in the City that next week’s Budget will see a hike in stamp duty. Currently, stamp duty on all property worth more than £500,000 attracts a 4 per cent duty.