Last summer, United investigated the possibility of landing
Tevez from West Ham.
The complicated third party ownership issue transformed the
business into a saga with the Hammers demanding a fee as they
argued they owned his registration.
The mess was finally sorted with his part-owners Media Sports
Investment - which was run at the time by Tevez's agent Kia
Joorabchian - agreeing to pay West Ham £2m to release him.
It allowed United to move in with a two-year loan deal struck with
Joorabchian that is reported to have cost the Reds £10m. Both
United and Tevez want the Old Trafford move to be permanent and
that could cost the club a further £10m.
But the Premier League tightened its rules on third party ownership
at its AGM last month. No Premier League club can now sign up a
player who is owned, partly or wholly, by a third party.
United have been looking into an answer but according to reports
Tevez is getting impatient that the Reds have not come to the table
with a deal and that if nothing is done by the end of 2008 he will
have to begin looking for alternatives.
Tevez said on the eve of the Champions League final he hoped his
transfer situation would be solved. "I would certainly love to
extend my contract," the 24-year-old said ahead of the Moscow
showpiece with Chelsea.
"I would go and sign right now if the opportunity was there."
Last November Sir Alex Ferguson was sure United would be able to
end Tevez's loan situation at Old Trafford.
"There is no question about his long-term future here.
Our chief executive David Gill has spoken to his agent and told him
we are very happy with him," Ferguson said at the time.
"The fee is in place. I won't tell you what it is but it is still
cheap. I want to make this happen."
Tevez scored 19 goals for United in his debut campaign.