Rafael BenĂtez is preparing to antagonise Sir Alex Ferguson once more with an audacious bid to sign Carlos TĂ©vez.
The Argentina forward is increasingly resigned to leaving Manchester United at the end of the season, with Real Madrid his most likely destination. BenĂtez has signalled Liverpoolâs willingness to join Chelsea, Manchester City and Inter Milan in the mĂȘlĂ©e for his signature.
Ferguson has not yet given up hope of retaining TĂ©vezâs services after his complicated two-year lease arrangement expires at the end of the season, but the forwardâs growing discontent means that he will consider a move away from Old Trafford â even if United manage to reach an agreement with the companies that hold his economic rights.
TĂ©vez, who joined United in a controversial move from West Ham United in August 2007, would be likely to cost any other club more than the ÂŁ22 million that United have to pay at the end of the season to turn the playerâs loan into a permanent deal. BenĂtez, though, is determined to test the water.
he Spaniard knows that United have no control over TĂ©vez if and when he leaves Old Trafford and that the Barclays Premier League leaders would not receive any money, with the transfer fee instead going to the companies, headed by Kia Joorabchian, that own the playerâs economic rights.
TĂ©vez, 25, is frustrated at his loss of favour since Dimitar Berbatovâs arrival at Old Trafford from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, having not started any of Unitedâs four matches in the Champions League knockout phase.
Madrid are favourites to sign TĂ©vez should he end his two-year stint at United, with Florentino PĂ©rez, who is expected to be elected Realâs new president next month, confident of delivering the forward as part of a wide-reaching rebuilding operation that is expected to include a world-record bid for Cristiano Ronaldo, the United forward. But Liverpool have registered their interest in signing TĂ©vez if he wishes to stay in England â and if the price is right.
TĂ©vez declared in an interview with an Argentine radio station this week that âin my situation, an exit [from United] will be the best solutionâ and that âthere are other options for next seasonâ, citing interest from Real and Inter as well as other clubs, of which there are now three in England monitoring the situation.
Ferguson, the United manager, would bristle at the idea of the forward joining just about any of the interested clubs. He blocked Gabriel Heinzeâs proposed move to Liverpool in August 2007 and said of Real this season that he âwouldnât sell that mob a virusâ.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article6157813.ece