West Ham heroics turn Tevez into a prize catch again

While the row between Kia Joorabchian, the wheeler-dealer who owns Tevez's economic rights, and West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson rumbles on, the Argentinian is on the verge of saving his club's Premiership status.

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Tevez was on the bench when the Hammers beat United 1-0 in Alan Curbishley's first game in charge, but he will be living the dream at Old Trafford.

Six goals in his last nine games have helped take West Ham out of the relegation zone and only defeat against Manchester United and a surprise win for Wigan will send them back into the abyss.

Whether Tevez will remain in east London is another matter. He was coveted by Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal last summer, but the complex nature of Tevez's ownership precluded a transfer from Corin-thians to one of the big four.

Instead, he arrived at West Ham last August in a blaze of publicity but the lure of the Champions League will be too strong for a world-class talent.

"If I can play at West Ham in such a difficult position, it's easier to play for a bigger club with players such as Rooney, Ronaldo or Drogba," he confidently predicted.

"I could play for any English team because the English game is no longer a problem for me."

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry unravelled the clauses in the contract lodged with the Premier League to sign Javier Mascherano in January and they have already registered an interest in Tevez.

So, too, have Chelsea, but much depends on Jose Mourinho's spending power in the summer.

Mourinho wants a player who can unpick the tightest Premiership defences and he has been impressed with Tevez's recent contribution to his club's revival.

He settled nerves at Upton Park last Saturday with a performance laced with genuine class and with victory over Bolton assured within the first half-hour, Tevez took the opportunity to show off his silky skills for the next 60 minutes.

Curbishley wants to keep him next season, but his future remains uncertain. "I would like to see him at West Ham for the next few seasons, but there are a lot of things that have to be resolved before that happens," said Magnusson.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there is interest from other clubs, so we will have to see."

Tevez has flourished under Curbishley and there is little doubt that the former South American player of the year can take his talents to another level.

Undoubtedly, there were times this season when there were doubts about his application. He complained loudly when he turned the keys in the lock of his Canary Wharf penthouse apartment (that was provided for him by the club) and realised that he did not have a river view.

After being substituted during the 1-0 victory over Sheffield United last November, he walked out of Upton Park and threatened never to return.

For that, his team-mates punished him by forcing him to wear a Brazil shirt in training, but it helped break the ice after a difficult introduction to the Premiership.

He was largely ignored by Curbishley when he replaced Alan Pardew in December, but he turned his season around when he scored against Tottenham in March with a terrific free-kick and jumped into the crowd to receive the fans' acclaim.

Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and his goals have galvanised a team that was staring at the Championship six weeks ago.

Curbishley wants to keep him, but it may be beyond him. "Carlos enjoys being with us and he loves the fans, but we'll think about his future after next week," he said.