Hao Haidong is vastly experienced

Hao, 34, did not appear at a hearing on Friday when a sports company asked the court to bar him from leaving the country until he repaid �278,000.

The company had loaned Hao's boot company the money in 2002 to be repaid within eight days.

Hao had hoped to leave for England and link up with United on 17 January.

According to the Beijing News Hao had expressed through others a willingness to repay the loan, but had not yet done so.

It is four four years since Warnock first tried to buy Hao.

The Blades are forging strong links with China and see Haidong as a key part of their future plans, as well as a potentially useful squad member.

Warnock earlier told the Yorkshire Post: "He has a good brain and excellent touch.

"It won't stop me looking for another striker but it will improve our squad and you can never have enough players.

"He will learn about English football, take his coaching qualifications and at the end of the period be part of the Academy project in China."

A former bad boy of Chinese soccer, Hao has said his decision to leave Dalian Shide was partly due to China's shock exit from the Asian 2006 World Cup qualifiers last November.

The striker was banned for a year after spitting at a referee in 1998. In 2001, he was embroiled in a public row with former coach Bora Milutinovic over the Yugoslav's selection policy.