Date set for Fifa Tevez meeting

Manchester United and West Ham have asked world football's governing body to settle a dispute over who owns the Argentine striker.

Fifa spokesman Andreas Herren said: "My understanding is that the meeting will be with members of the FA.

"My understanding is that a senior lawyer from the FA will come to Zurich to meet our senior legal people."

Manchester United are expecting the Tevez affair to be resolved before the transfer window closes on 31 August.

United chief executive David Gill said: "Fifa and the necessary bodies will try to make sure that the player can play, whether it's for United or West Ham.

"I think they will do everything they can to make sure the decision is made within the appropriate period."

Tevez is registered as a West Ham player, but businessman Kia Joorabchian claims he owns the striker's economic rights and is therefore entitled to any transfer fee.

606: DEBATE
" "
KK

However, the Hammers ripped up an agreement they had with Joorabchian - which broke league rules - and they now claim any deal with United can only go ahead with their say-so.

The Premier League is also insisting that any fee must go to West Ham.

Gill added: "The issue is effectively who owns the economic rights to the player, who owns the registration of that player, and therefore what happens to any monies that we might pay.

"Can he unilaterally terminate his registration? Can he move on? That's the fundamental issue.

"Theoretically, you can go from the Dispute Resolution Chamber [at Fifa] to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"Whether both parties choose to do that, we'll have to see, but that would be the final arbiter."

With the Tevez saga rumbling on, the British government and the Football Association have united to press Fifa to investigate the question of third-party ownership of players.

BBC Sport has learned the government fears the integrity of the game could be damaged by the practice.

A Whitehall source said: "We don't want third-party ownership in British football, we want it dealt with."

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has called for a probe at "the highest international level".

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
FIFA
Football on the BBC
Your say - 606
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites