Tevez's representatives have been suggesting the Argentina striker's move could be finalised within 24 hours and that he is to have a medical in Venezuela.
However West Ham say the 23-year-old is under contract for a further three years and no transfer can be made without their agreement.
Crucially, the Premier League are likely to back West Ham all the way in their present stance.
Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson said: "Carlos Tevez is a registered West Ham player, contracted to the club until June 2010.
"There is no agreement with West Ham for Carlos to leave the club and we expect him to return in time for next season's preparations.
"No decision on his future can be reached without the agreement of West Ham."
Tevez is currently in Venezuela on Copa America duty and played in Argentina's win over Paraguay on Thursday.
The situation is further clouded by the fact United believe he is not under contract to West Ham any more and they merely had an option to
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sign him for a further three years.
Tevez's camp had hoped to have set up a deal worth a possible £30m and although they had been close to an agreement with the Reds, the Premier League have demanded that any transfer is handled by the Hammers.
The league accepted in April that West Ham had terminated all agreements with Tevez's agent Kia Joorabchian.
A Premier League spokesman said: "As far as we are concerned any deal to take Tevez away from West Ham has to be done directly with the club."
One possible avenue would be for West Ham to be paid a transfer fee and then agree a compensation figure with Joorabchian for breaching contracts with his company Media Sports Investments (MSI) when they terminated those agreements following their £5.5m fine in April for breaching Premier League rules.
Chunk
It is understood that the league would want a substantial chunk of the transfer fee to remain at West Ham rather than it all be handed over to MSI in compensation, otherwise they could be accused of merely covering up the third-party agreements that has caused so much controversy.
Another possible solution is for United to give Tevez a two-year loan deal.
But that could still lead to a courtroom scramble for the fee, with both West Ham and an alliance of MSI and two other Virgin Islands-based companies claiming they own the player.
A leading Manchester sports lawyer believes the Reds will refuse to get involved in the ownership tussle.
John Hewison, from city centre firm George Davies Solicitors says: "United are a pretty straightforward club in their dealings.
"A hangover from their days as a public company is that they are not people who want to get involved in deals that get them in difficulties."
Any legal ruling would also be of interest to Sheffield United, about to launch a £50m compensation claim based on the recent decision to allow West Ham to stay in the Premiership.
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Davey Boy, Kuwait (07/07/2007 at 06:27)
Matsiko, Kampala, Uganda - Africa. (07/07/2007 at 07:42)
Looks like we will get Tevez at United but Mr.Gill should make sure that there are no mistakes in the `Tevez project.' I can't wait for the season to start.
www.buyingcheap.co.uk, Enniskillen, Ireland (07/07/2007 at 08:12)
chris spence, Altrincham (07/07/2007 at 09:18)
TMUF, Manchester (07/07/2007 at 09:19)
But in response, Tevez's agent Kia Joorabchian says the former Corinthians ace has already been given permission to talk to other clubs and discussions have taken place with United.
Joorabchian claims the 23-year-old has now agreed a deal which should see him join the Premier League champions in the coming days.
"The circumstances surrounding Carlos Tevez's relationship with West Ham have been well documented in the media and footballing world," said a statement from Joorabchian's lawyers.
"We confirm that Carlos Tevez has, with the knowledge and permission of West Ham United Football Club, been in discussions with other clubs.
"Subsequently, personal terms have now been agreed with Manchester United Football Club.
"Carlos Tevez's representatives will work during the course of next week so that a move to Manchester United can be finalised as quickly as possible.
"The process for finalising the player's registration with Manchester United will be undertaken in accordance with appropriate procedures."
Manchester United have confirmed they have held talks with Tevez, and say they were given permission to do so.
"We have acted in good faith," said a United spokesman. "Carlos Tevez was given permission to speak to us and do a deal."
COLIN, CANADA, Canada (07/07/2007 at 10:13)
kokka78, italy (07/07/2007 at 10:34)
Rick Stubbs (07/07/2007 at 10:56)
Fredrik, Sweden (07/07/2007 at 11:02)
Andy Bergen, Bergen, Norway (07/07/2007 at 11:48)
seasider, blackpool (07/07/2007 at 11:58)
The fact is, FIFA regulations allow 3rd-party ownership. West Ham may own Tévez's registration but if his contract has a buy-out clause (like Michael Owen's) of say, zero pounds, then it's hard to see what anyone can do about it.
Tonya786, Saddleworth (07/07/2007 at 11:59)
Louis Edwards Turkey Twizlers, Macclesfield (07/07/2007 at 12:48)
Too much baggage, too greedy, and will not fit into the set up easily. I just cannot see where he would play.
He is a one season a club man and it will end in tears.
I would think Ronaldo and Rooney would sulk with this bandit in the team.
Since66, Amersham (07/07/2007 at 13:09)
Tevez is maybe a bit like Rooney in the role he plays (?) and as we have Rooney and this thing could go bad wouldn't it be better to go for a consistently fit Saha replacement / addition?
StretfordBLUE, Virginia (07/07/2007 at 13:17)
ALFIE (07/07/2007 at 13:17)
I know and have read the news in differnt papares,but west ham have got off lightly not getting points deducted which will happen if this deal doesnt go through,as sheff utd have said the fa have covered it up and they have just done that.
Id like to have tevez but id also like to see sheff utd in the premiership,as they have been robbed.
salfordite (07/07/2007 at 16:04)
Steve Chew, usa (07/07/2007 at 16:19)
Colin Chua (07/07/2007 at 18:42)
John A (07/07/2007 at 19:25)
ding dang do the blue, barrow in furness (07/07/2007 at 20:31)
COLIN, CANADA, Canada (07/07/2007 at 20:39)
Jim Polley (07/07/2007 at 21:12)
There is a letter from WestHam turning down the offer to extend the deal with Kia, and permitting Tevez to talk with and do a deal with anyone. United have essentially done what Liverpool did to obtain Mascherano (sp??)
It is clear that if WH admit they don't own Tevez, then the ruling in their favour to keep then up in the prem would seem to be invalid.
The league has to back WH, if they didn't they would be viewed as having made a wrong ruling. WH should have and could severed business with Kia properly, which they didn't. So between the league and WH, that is where all the sady dealing has gone on. United should be allowed to have Tevez, and WH should learn from this and move on.
Lee Thornton (08/07/2007 at 00:12)
Look at the shambles over their original decision to fine West Ham, and the subsequent "independent investigation". Why didn't they investigate West Ham over the Mascerano and Tevez transfers in the first place? It was common knowledge who owned their contracts, long before the move took place. So why allow it to happen? There was never any need for a subsequent investigation... all they needed to do was pick up the papers.
Now they are sticking their oar into the Tevez - Man Utd deal. Why for God's sake? Because they have painted themselves into a corner over their original decision not to dock West Ham points. They KNEW who had the rights to the Tevez contract, regardless of whether the Hammers had torn it up. Can they seriously say they believed that made the slightest bit of difference to who owned the player? Of course not. No more than I can tell the Halifax that I don't have to pay them any more mortgage payments because I have "torn up" their contract with me.
So now, far too late, and for entirely the wrong reasons, they are our moral guardians again. Pushing West Ham into a legal battle that could end up costing them as much as their original fine. Leaving Man Utd and Tevez in limbo so that the game's "integrity" can be upheld.
I'm sure the Premier League could find a way to sanction the Tevez deal if they wanted to. Just as they were happy enough to let Mascherano go to Liverpool, even though all the same issues applied to that player.
Where does Rick Parry work in his day job by the way? Oh yes, Liverpool. S'funny that innit?
dazk250780, manchester (08/07/2007 at 09:42)