MANCHESTER UNITED have told Carlos Tevez’s advisers they still want to sign the Argentinian but that it might depend on them bringing down his valuation to a more affordable fee.

The club are reluctant to pay the €24.5 million that would be needed to turn the existing two-year loan into a permanent agreement, a stance that has left Tevez feeling disillusioned with the men in power at Old Trafford. The striker was described last night as feeling “humiliated”.

David Gill, United’s chief executive, met Tevez’s representative, Kia Joorabchian, on Wednesday to try to reach a compromise, but the talks concluded without the two parties being any closer to settling the issue. Real Madrid have subsequently contacted Joorabchian, adding their name to a lengthy list of clubs who want to be kept in the loop.

Gill wanted to explore the possibilities of renegotiating the financial details that were put in place with Joorabchian in 2007 and he made it clear that, while United would like to conclude a deal, it would have to be on their terms rather than the agreement that was originally signed off with the companies that own the player’s economic rights.

United have already paid €11 million for Tevez’s services over the past two seasons and Alex Ferguson confirmed after the midweek defeat of Wigan Athletic that he wanted to keep the former West Ham player. However, the crux of the matter is the club no longer value Tevez at €24.5 million, particularly when the player would also earn an annual salary close to €5.6 million.

Further negotiations are planned and Michael Carrick joined Wayne Rooney in giving his backing to Tevez yesterday. “We want to keep the squad together as much as we can,” said the midfielder. “It is not so much the number of goals but the importance of them,” said Carrick. “His goal [against Wigan] was a classic case of that.”

Guardian Service