FIFA asked to rule in Tevez case

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SEOUL (Reuters) - FIFA will arbitrate in the dispute between Manchester United and West Ham United over the transfer of Carlos Tevez, the Manchester United chief executive David Gill said on Wednesday.

Gill told a press conference in Seoul that the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber would handle the case, adding he was confident Tevez would be a United player before the start of the Premier League season.

"The situation is that the player and West Ham will probably take the case to the FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber on an expedited basis," Gill told reporters after landing in the South Korean capital before Friday's friendly against FC Seoul.

"We are very confident that it will be resolved in favour of the player and he will then be free to achieve his wish and our wish of joining Manchester United.

"We are very, very confident that this will resolve in Carlos Tevez's favour."

However, Gill said it could take weeks rather than days to resolve the matter, despite British newspaper photographs of the Argentina forward arriving at Manchester airport.

"It may take up to two weeks to arrange for that (FIFA) body to be formed and for it hear that particular case. The papers have to be pulled together.

"Given that timetable, we are still confident that by the time we kick off the Premier League season, he will be training at Carrington."

According to newspaper reports Tevez had arrived in Manchester to undergo a medical but West Ham refused to grant permission for this to take place.

West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson met United lawyer Maurice Watkins at the Premier League's offices in London on Tuesday but talks "broke without resolution" a Premier League spokesman confirmed.

The Premier League has demanded that any deal must be done between the two clubs but United -- who according to reports in the British media have agreed personal terms with the South American player -- refuse to recognise that West Ham own Tevez.

United insist it is a matter between themselves and the player's adviser, the Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian.

West Ham were allowed to continue playing Tevez last season after assuring the Premier League they owned Tevez outright, having cancelled their third-party agreement with Joorabchian.

However, Joorabchian maintains that the club tore up that contract unilaterally -- and that it remains valid.

(additional reporting in London by Simon Hart)

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