United pin hopes on Fifa as Tevez saga begins new chapter

Fifa has agreed to step into the dispute over Carlos Tevez's proposed £35m transfer to Manchester United with a ruling expected within the next fortnight. But first the case has to be referred to world football's governing body by the Premier League board and that should happen by the end of this week.

The move follows the failure of United - and West Ham United who claim Tevez is wholly their player - to agree a deal despite extensive talks over the last few days. Both clubs had hoped for a breakthrough on Monday night but have hit stalemate. Fifa would not normally get involved in such disputes because it involves a domestic, rather than an international transfer, but it does have the jurisdiction under exceptional circumstances.

It will convene a special "Dispute Resolution Chamber". The chamber will have to decide whether the four-year playing contract Tevez has with West Ham is valid, as the club claim, or whether he signed a one-year deal, with options, as the Argentine and his advisers claim.

If it rules in Tevez's favour, then the Premier League will have to decide whether it takes action against West Ham. If it rules in the club's favour, then the businessman Kia Joorabchian, who claims to own the "economic rights" to the striker, will have to decide whether or not he goes to court to try to seek damages.

Either way it should mean that the Tevez transfer takes place and help resolve where the loan fees and future transfer payments go. The Premier League believe it is almost inevitable that Fifa will have to rule and hope that the saga serves as a warning to clubs and businessmen not to enter into so-called "third party arrangements".

The Independent revealed last week that all sides in the dispute were considering going to Fifa, although United have become increasingly frustrated with the impasse. There is an acceptance that Tevez will end up at Old Trafford, where he was due to undergo a medical yesterday, but quite how a solution will be found has proved elusive.

United's chief executive David Gill said yesterday: "There have been a lot of discussions over the last few days between Manchester United, West Ham and the Premier League, but the case will probably go before Fifa's Dispute Resolution Chamber. We are very confident this will be resolved in favour of the player and he will be free to achieve his wish of joining Manchester United."

United also have to act with care as they would be in danger of breaching the Premier League rules over the tapping-up of players if they continued pushing for the transfer without reaching agreement with West Ham.

West Ham, who could themselves face further disciplinary action from the Premier League over their part in the fiasco, also want the matter dealt with by Fifa, with a spokesman saying: "It now makes sense for this to be dealt with by Fifa. All parties agree this is the best way forward."

Meanwhile, West Ham fear that their new £6.1m signing Julien Faubert will miss the start of the season after suffering an ankle injury in the 1-0 friendly defeat in Austria against the Czech side Sigma Olomouc.