Fergie signs Tevez
Carlos Tevez last night agreed to join Manchester United in a
permanent deal worth more than £20million.
The move will be completed next week, subject to any challenge from
West Ham, who still claim to own the registration of the player who
saved them from relegation last season.
However, West Ham have no contract with Tevez and his owner,
businessman Kia Joorabchian, which has left the player and his
representative free to negotiate a transfer with other clubs.
The news, breaking in South America last night, means that United
will take their summer buying past the £70m mark, confirming them
as the biggest spenders in world football.
Tevez was once fined when playing for Brazil's Corinthians for
turning up to an official press conference wearing a Manchester
United shirt.
He will fly from Argentina's Copa America base here to join
United's pre-season programme.
"He just cannot contain his excitement at the news," a source close
to the Argentina camp confirmed. "Tevez has been concerned about
his future, worried about where he may play next season and now he
is joining the biggest club in the world! This is massive
news."
Tevez is best friends with United's Argentine defender Gabriel
Heinze and was a guest at their end-of-season title party in a
London club.
Days later, Tevez scored at Old Trafford on the final day of the
season to give West Ham the 1-0 win that kept them in the
Premiership, but his controversial transfer has been the subject of
a Premier League investigation, which was concluded on
Tuesday.
United were hoping to keep the confirmation of the transfer quiet
until the furore died down and the deal will not be officially
declared until the middle of next week. The official transfer fee
and wages are still to be confirmed.
United have already signed Portuguese winger Nani and Brazilian
midfielder Anderson on expensive five-year contracts.
The pair join the Premier League champions from Sporting Lisbon and
Porto respectively, while England midfielder Owen Hargreaves
completed his move from Bayern Munich. The total cost of those
deals is £50m.
United have also made Polish keeper Tomasz Kuszczak a full signing
after he played last season on loan from second division West
Bromwich.
With multi-million pound backing from their American investors,
United have been flexing their financial muscle, but the signing of
Tevez is their most ambitious.
The little striker has told friends that he is "very excited" about
his future, though he has refused to confirm his next destination.
Tevez has also been linked with Inter Milan and Arsenal, although
West Ham had been hoping to keep him.
Tevez told Sportsmail in an exclusive interview last season: "If I
can play at West Ham in such a difficult position, then it's easier
to play for a bigger club, with players such as Rooney, Ronaldo or
Drogba.
"I would be capable of playing at any English team, because the
English game is no longer a problem for me." He then went on to
save West Ham, following his controversial "loan" move from
Corinthians, a club he joined in a South American transfer record
of $22m.
As well as being fined for turning up in an official press
conference wearing a United shirt, he was also punished for turning
up for a game in Bermuda shorts and for fighting with
team-mates.
Then the goals started and he was branded a hero. The fans copied
his braided hair cut, followed his celebration dance craze and
bought the replica shirts.
It was claimed that 4,000 were sold at every home game. He was
elected captain by his team-mates and he would lead out his team
with his baby daughter, Florencia, in his arms, producing a dummy
from his sock when he scored a goal.
Then, when a website opened in his name, it broke the previous
record held by Ronaldinho by 4,000 hits.
Tevez received 16,000 hits and the local newspapers called it "the
birth of Tevezmania". It sounds like a marketing dream for
Manchester United.
West Ham last night confirmed the free transfer signing of former
England goalkeeper Richard Wright, who left Everton at the end of
last season.
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