Tevez medical held up by West Ham

Tevez's ownership remains in doubt, but with West Ham insisting they hold the player's registration and that the 23-year-old has a contract for three more years, United cannot proceed further without agreeing a fee.

The Anglo-Iranian businessman Kia Joorbachian maintains his company, MSI, owns Tevez's economic rights.

United chief executive David Gill admitted the deal is becoming frustrating.

"Effectively, we are trying to work with four parties - the player, West Ham, the company who own Carlos' economic rights and the Premier League - in order to sort it out," Gill said.

"The process is ongoing. The player will have a medical at some point this week, then we will take it from there.

"We still have to sort out the paperwork but we are confident that can be achieved in the course of the next week or so."

It is understood that United have agreed an initial loan deal for the player with a view to a permanent transfer, which was the solution to Liverpool's signing of Javier Mascherano in January.

On that occasion, though, West Ham cancelled Mascherano's registration.

Were they to do so now, though, it would suggest the contracts with Joorabchian were binding, despite their annulment being part of the deal that saw West Ham escape a points deduction over the irregularities in registering the two players. dpa