Fifa and the FA to meet over Tevez

FIFA and legal representatives of the Football Association have confirmed a meeting to discuss the Carlos Tevez affair.

The move comes after the Red Devils' efforts to lure Tevez to Manchester United ground to a halt amid a deluge of legal arguments over who owns the player's registration.

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said: "A meeting will take place on Monday. My understanding is that it will be with members of the FA, not the Premier League. It could be that someone from the Premier League comes along as well.

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

The Argentina striker's advisor Kia Joorabchian last week accused West Ham of saying one thing in private and another in public in their stance on the Tevez ownership issue, something the Upton Park club strenously deny.

With the Premier League sticking to their position that West Ham own the player after they tore up the third-party agreement with Joorabchian which landed them in so much trouble, the Tevez camp have now asked for world governing body FIFA to step in and settle the matter.

United remain totally convinced FIFA will eventually rule in Joorabchian's favour.

However, the Old Trafford club also know there is a chance the verdict would go the other way, effectively blocking their bid to sign Tevez before the August 31 transfer deadline.

Sir Alex Ferguson has also admitted he does not have a fall-back position should his £30million bid to sign Tevez eventually fail.

He said: "I am confident Carlos Tevez will sign and I am happy to wait until clearance comes along.

"If it became obvious the situation wasn't going to turn our way we would have to reconsider our plans. But I have nothing as a fall-back position at this moment in time."

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