Reds sure of Tevez deal

Stuart Mathieson

July 09, 2007

TEVEZ: Red in waiting

UNITED are supremely confident Carlos Tevez will be a Red before the Premiership campaign kicks off in five weeks.

The champions are sitting back and waiting for the complicated and controversial transfer conundrum to be resolved between the Argentine striker's club, West Ham, his agent Kia Joorabchian and the Premier League.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson almost has his man in the bag but may have to wait for the outcome of a legal battle before he can rubber-stamp the 23-year-old hitman's place in his plans.

United's club lawyer, Maurice Watkins, has put in place a deal for the bull-necked Tevez.

The Reds were given permission by the Hammers to speak to the player and the club's actions have been above board, despite the thorny issues surrounding the player and Premier League rules.

Personal terms have been agreed between United and Tevez and the third party investor, Media Sports Investment (MSI) - run by Anglo- Iranian businessman Joorabchian - who own the economic rights to the player.

Storm

But the fact West Ham own his registration is at the core of the storm surrounding the switch.

The Premier League told M.E.N. Sport: "Any deal that takes Carlos Tevez away from West Ham United must be struck directly with West Ham."

United hope eventually to be allowed to see through a deal similar to the one that took Tevez's countryman Javier Mascherano from West Ham to Liverpool in January on a long-term loan.

The Reds have agreed to buy the rights of the player outright for two years through a loan deal and will then settle on a transfer fee for a permanent move after that.

Although the details of the deal with Tevez would be different, the mechanics of the switch would be exactly the same as the Mascherano move, which was eventually granted and made official by the Premier League in February after they were satisfied with all the arrangements.

United see no reason why their deal would not be given the thumbs up if the West Ham-MSI battle is sorted out.

The agreement over Tevez's move north to Old Trafford has been sealed with Joorabchian subject to a medical. But the Premier League's stance over the player's ownership means this saga is going to run and may have to be resolved in court.

What do you think? Have your say.

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dboy, eire (09/07/2007 at 09:02)

Saw Tevez for Agentina last night. He came on for the 2nd half, played upfront as a lone stiker, inspired his teammates and was involved in all 4 goals.
Counting down the weeks to see him in the red of UTD

seasider, blackpool (09/07/2007 at 10:00)

Makes my blood boil. Why are the PL suddenly making a unilateral (possibly FIFA-backed) stand against 3rd-party ownership? Why didn't they do it over Mascherano? (Why did Rio get an 8-month ban?) A chance to cover their own backs over the mishandled WHU inquiry and shaft United into the bargain was just too good an opportunity to miss.

Davey Boy, Kuwait (09/07/2007 at 10:06)

This will be fun can we also look forward to the deal for mascherano being subject to the same inspection because he must have belonged to WHU also.....Yeeeh right!
Wasn't sure about this deal but watched Argentina last night totally different side when he came on....him rooney and ronaldo in the same side could be the most devasting front 3 in world football!!!

Robbo, North Stand (09/07/2007 at 10:21)

Certainly did, dboy. He was brilliant when he came on, hit the bar, set up the goals and generally caused havoc for the poor Peruvians. What was interesting was the way the Argies changed formation after the break. In the first half, when they played with Milito, a static, conventional target man, Peru contained them fairly easily. Second half, on comes Carlito, they ditch the central striker, play him and Messi as inter-changing inside forwards and create chance after chance. And how good was the 'lazy magician', aka the genius that is Juan Roman Riquelme? Awesome. If there's a football team in heaven, that team will be Argentina. AR-GEN-TINA!!!

salfordite (09/07/2007 at 10:22)

GREAT! Plenty to read about till the action gets underway. Sick to the back teeth of cricket, tennis, golf and the yawn induced flying billboards or as it is also known formula1. Let's get the world's only sport up and running!

george (09/07/2007 at 10:22)

The English FA are coming over as a totally incompetent body.I think they must be a group of ex-(probably London) footballers who don't actually do anything except eat lunches in expensive hotels on the money recieved from club fines.I think they should all resign.The Sheffield United injustice;the double standards on transfers and punishment of players.There needs to be simple rules on players,rules so simple that the officials of the FA can understand them.They've become a laughing stock.If these people were government officials the press would be calling for heads to roll.Quite rightly too!

Fredrik, Sweden (09/07/2007 at 10:26)

The important thing is that Tevez wants to join us and he will definately be at OT when the league kicks off. Of course WHU must come out and let the whole world know that Tevez is a WHU player. Can someone refresh my memory, how much did WHU pay for Mascherano and Tevez??

Jaco, South Africa (09/07/2007 at 11:01)

I am confident we will sign Tevez, but the fact is he is not a United player yet. I will only be at ease once we parade him at Old Trafford (or on our tour to the far east).

JonyB-), North Staffs (09/07/2007 at 11:03)

Fredrik - they didnt pay anything - they were loaned from the MIS group - the problem being Mascherano left under that loan and his new deal met the EPL rules, but WHU just ripped up the agreement and said he was ours and the EPL eblieved them (Probably because that was the easiest thing to do rather than what should of been done!!). Now WHU & EPL have to go through this sharade because of the antics they'd allowed & now its catch-22. Stop the man from moving or allow the world to see the utter rubbish they've created!!! I actually think that they can't afford to let Tevez go or they risk bringing themselves into disripute - God knows hoe they're going to untangle it?? Badly! No doubt; just hope Tevez because hes won me over. And hope we don't get caught up in it - WHU should be relegated to Div 1 for this and the EPL reorganised with Baboons(they would make more sense!!!!)

JonyB-), North Staffs (09/07/2007 at 11:06)

ps: does anybody know anything about this Rodrigo Possebon thats claiming we've signed him?? Other than being a midfielder i know nothing or can find out much??

DC, Amsterdam (09/07/2007 at 11:16)

Regardless of what we are told the difference is, when West Ham 'signed' Tevez and Mascherano, both players had exactly the same situation. Both players were on the squad of West Ham illegally. Yet the FA only investigated the Tevez situation, apparently because West Ham had ripped up Mascherano's contract. Then the FA made a ridiculous ruling that is still rumbling on, and to stick by this ruling (despite it being contrary to their ruling on Mascherano) they are claiming west ham have undisputed rights to the player.
Now, shouldn't West Ham be looked into over the Mascherano affair too? they had him on their books, and they ripped up his contract, foregoing any right to a fee. Exactly what WHU are trying to do now with Tevez. All the FA are doing now is covering their backs over their shoddy ruling.
I also see Rick Parry is making noises about loans within the PL, heaping more pressure on the FA. The same Rick Parry, of Liverpool, who negotiated Mascherano's loan just 6 months ago. Haha with that and the Chelsea nobody's outburst over Nani, we really have our rivals running scared!

Fredrik, Sweden (09/07/2007 at 11:30)

JonyB, I know, I was just being sarcastic. I agree with your post, it will be very interesting to see how WHU and the PL will handle this situation. It's quite a mess. But there are surely things we don't know about. What I don't understand is why MSI allowed WHU to tear up the contract without any form of compensation?? After all, Tevez is worth 20-30m.

JonyB-), North Staffs (09/07/2007 at 11:38)

Fredrik (Soz mate should of guessed!), but i wonder if MIS allowed that statement in part to create a situation where they became untouchable as neither EPL or WHU could afford to open the can-of-worms they've created in public!! Also probably had some clandestine agreement for money to go to them - Problem is they forgot about their stubboness, greed and stupidity!!! Unless they can find a quick solution over next week can see out bid being marooned as they end up in court!!!

Shaz Leicester (09/07/2007 at 11:45)

It seems quite simple to me- No Tevez at OT then No Mascherano at Anfield. Plus a fine to the Scousers for fielding an illegible player from January onwards. Question: Have the FA got the nerve?

Steve in Brussels (09/07/2007 at 12:50)

two-faced. All this nonsence yet the same murky dealings saw Mascherano almost help the dippers to a Ch League. Basically W Ham somehow hold the registration for a player they did not pay for. So it then cost them 5m in a fine but proved great business as he has saved them tens of millions in keeping them up. Not bad for free that. W Ham must have held Mascherano's registration as well. MSI invested the money in the players so wants the return. They want the 10m for Mascherano and the 20m for Tevez eventually. They will not see W Ham, L'pool or Man U profit for free - and (murky or not) - why should they I suppose? So the League thinks that 15-20M or so should be paid to W Ham even though they did not pay for him - the player who keeps on giving like a charitable jackpot machine? Well fine. Make a triple agreement. loan him to us now and we pay wages. Pay W Ham the full fee in 2 years to transfer registration to us. They keep a 20% cut as a "management fee for developing the player to Premiership level" and pay the balance to Jorabchiaan. Of course the same must apply to the dippers or they get away with the murky crime scot-free like they are whiter than white (Or Real Madrid)

Duncan, London (09/07/2007 at 13:09)

If we do manage to sign him he better not get injured.

Free Red, Manchester (09/07/2007 at 13:55)

JonyB-), North Staffs. It just so happens I was reading about him the other day. Rodrigo Pereira Possebom (born February 13, 1989 in Sapucaia do Sul, is a Brazilian Midfielder , currently playing for Sport Club Internacional. A strong player, Possebom has a future contract with the English team Manchester United which will take place in July 2008. Likened to Roy Keane, Possebon is exceptionally strong in the tackle, a quick and accurate passer, and has been described by coach Hector Rodrigúez as being 'a player that will run through walls for his team-mates'. Manchester United. According to Sky Sports News, Manchester United has agreed a deal with Sport Club Internacional worth around £250,000 for Possebom. The midfielder is understood to have been watched by United for two years. He may have an Italian passport, so will not a need work permit to play for United.

Lee , Heywood, Heywood (09/07/2007 at 14:49)

Dauncan, why ??

Duncan, London (09/07/2007 at 15:06)

Because of the hype surrounding the transfer Lee. I suspect that he will cost a lot more than the 20 million touted as well. Probably will come to nearer 50 million when you add all the loan add ons, hush money to WHU/FA. Maybe I have read too many of FreeRed's posts and am now becoming paranoid.

I thought this was going to be a straightforward close season then they have to go and announce they are going after Tevez! Now I won't be happy until we have him:( And if we don't get him only the dippers getting dropped from the Champions League next season and West Ham relegated will be sufficient compensation.

Lee , Heywood, Heywood (09/07/2007 at 15:45)

I see where your going with that now Duncan. Yes it would be a bit of an embarresment to go through everything and for him to then fail a medical ! Cant see it happening and when he signs , and he will sign , we will have completed a great summer of signings. One that was beyond anyones wildest dreams. Add OH and Tevez to our team and Nani and Anderson to our sqaud. Shift some of the dross and we have possibly the best sqaud United have ever had. That said there are no garantees in football.

sandesh wazza's no.1 fann!! (09/07/2007 at 16:05)

personally i think we need a guy like v.nistelrooy or henry a guy who scores 25-35 goals a season but tevez isnt bad pity we didnt get torres or casstillo whos made a huge impact at copa america 07

Mick, Dublin (10/07/2007 at 11:36)

Just made this point on another thread but worth repeating here. The transfer of Mascherano to Liverpool is entirely different.

For the first-half of the season, it was an open secret that Tevez and Mascherano were on loan to West Ham, despite being owned by MSI.

This was the situation when Mascherano moved to Liverpool and, as far as I know, Mascherano is still owned by MSI but Liverpool have first refusal on a permanent deal when his 18-month loan expires.

What muddies the waters in the Tevez case is the fact that when the Premiership (belatedly) threw the book at WHU for "third-party involvement" they responded by (quite probably illegaly) severing all ties with MSI and (somehow) managed to convince the Premiership that Tevez was owned by WHU and only WHU.

So there are two totally different scenarios, both raise a number of really interesting questions:

1. Seeing as Mascherano is only on loan at Liverpool, who will get the transfer fee if/when a permanent deal is put in place?

2. Why aren't Liverpool accused of third-party involvement? i.e. what's the difference between the loan-deal that Mascherano had at West Ham to the deal he now has at Liverpool?

3. How can the Premier League have ever believed that West Ham could legally "rip up" their contract with MSI without formal agreement between all the parties involved?

4. Is there any way that the Premier League can back down on their statement (that any transfer fee must go to West Ham) without being hammered in the courts over allowing Tevez to finish the season under exactly the same terms that he started it?

Questions 1, 2 & 3 seem to have been over-looked by the press and do interest me but it's question 4 that has me most worried that Tevez might not sign for United for a long time yet.

Alias Smith, over the moon (10/07/2007 at 22:38)

Mick, don't know what you've been doing on your recent break but whatever it was you seem to have come back with a bit of a negative attitude - what's going on?

It's simply not credible that WHU could own a 20 million+ player without having paid a transfer fee for him. It would be equally incredible to assume that MSI, the owners of Tevez's economic rights, would just accept that WHU can rip up the contractual agreement between them.

I understand that WHU have privately admitted they will be glad to see the back of Tevez because of all the controversy surrounding him. United want him, he wants to come to us and MSI have agreed to sell him to us. I remain confident that he will become a United player this week.

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