DAVID GILL, Manchester United’s chief executive, has indicated the club may back down in their dispute with Carlos Tevez’ advisers and pay the figure required to keep him at Old Trafford despite publicly admitting they think the player is overpriced.
United will have to pay €29 million to turn Tevez’ two-year loan arrangement into a permanent deal, a figure that Gill described as “a bit toppy”, despite being the man who signed the provisional contract two years ago.
Gill has been trying to persuade Kia Joorabchian, the head of the consortium that owns Tevez’ economic rights, to renegotiate the terms and lower his valuation of the player, possibly by as much as a third, but it is becoming increasingly apparent to United that they are not going to get their way.
“It’s clear that if we wish to secure his (Tevez’) rights and enter into a personal contract with him that we need to pay a certain sum,” Gill said. “That is €29 million. It’s a decision we are now assessing. Our honest opinion in the current economic climate is that it is a bit toppy but that’s not to say we won’t pay that. Other clubs may be prepared to pay that, or more, so we have to understand that we operate in a certain marketplace.”
The announcement represents a subtle yet crucial change in position, Gill having previously made it clear that United would conclude the transfer but only on their terms. The dispute has been described as a staring contest between Gill and Joorabchian – and Gill’s admission ahead of today’s Champions League final can be interpreted as him being the first to blink.
Whether Tevez would want to remain at Old Trafford is a complex issue when the striker is known to be disillusioned and, in the words of one of his representatives, “humiliated” by the disclosure that the club no longer values him as highly as two years ago.
Real Madrid have offered Joorabchian a €45 million package for Tevez to move to Spain, and a number of English clubs, led by Manchester City, have also expressed a firm interest. However, Gill believes Tevez would prefer to remain at United at the end of a season in which they could win four major trophies.
“It is difficult to leave Manchester United,” Gill said. “The game is littered with players who have left us and will say that after Manchester United it is downhill. Hopefully they get the right advice, they understand that and make the right decision.”
Another meeting with Joorabchian has been pencilled in for next week when Gill will, once again, ask for the fee to be brought down below €23 million. Failing that, however, United must decide whether to bite the bullet and pay up or try to bring in a replacement striker for less money.
Guardian Service
