[qbdp]

West Ham pave way for Tevez move with £2m deal for release

West Ham are expected to announce today that they will release Carlos Tevez from his contract and registration after they last night agreed a deal with his representatives. The end of the dispute will allow the Argentina striker to pursue his move to Manchester United.

Tevez's representatives, Media Sports Investments, have agreed to pay West Ham £2m to release the player. The agreement still needs to be formally ratified by the Premier League and Football Association but they are expected to sign off the deal today.

The deal will also mean the settlement of the £30m lawsuit brought against West Ham by Tevez's agent, Kia Joorabchian. The Hammers had demanded £5m for Tevez, with Joorabchian willing to pay only £10,000 and the matter was heading for the high court until yesterday's breakthrough.

The Premier League had insisted that West Ham must receive around £6m for Tevez, who was instrumental in keeping the Hammers in the Premiership last season, but the league appears to have shifted its stance.

Tevez will move to Old Trafford for two seasons on loan, with Media Sports Investments, the company fronted by Joorabchian, and Just Sports Inc, which owns the player's economic rights, receiving £10m.

United have the option of making the deal permanent for a further £20m. The player will earn around £3.5m a season and could make his debut against Reading at Old Trafford on Sunday week.

There were reports that the 23-year-old had already completed a medical even though Upton Park had refused permission.

The agreement brings an end to a saga for the club that began when the former chairman, Terry Brown, signed Tevez and Javier Mascherano, now at Liverpool, under banned third-party agreements last summer.

The club were fined £5.5m as a result by a disciplinary commission in April and that led to an unsuccessful legal challenge by Sheffield United, who claimed West Ham should have been docked points.

Tevez's arrival at Old Trafford has allowed Sir Alex Ferguson to take stock of his striking options and, with an embarrassment of riches in attack - new signings Nani and Anderson will also compete to partner Wayne Rooney - the United manager yesterday allowed Alan Smith to move to Newcastle United for £6m.