Carlos Tevez's future at Manchester United will not be resolved until after the Champions League final, as the club grapples with the complexities of reaching a permanent deal.
Tevez's two-year loan deal expires at the end of the season and United chief executive David Gill said Sunday that the club would have to pay a group of investors around 25 million pounds ($38 million) to sign him.
But that won't happen until after the Champions League holders have played Barcelona in the May 27 final. "The actual situation will be cleared up in early June," Gill told the BBC. "Carlos has done very well. We'd like him to stay but the actual economic situation needs to be clarified."
Manager Alex Ferguson, who has expressed irritation at having to deal with a third party, said United must take into account the economic crisis affecting the world when considering paying large fees. "The demands originally put to us were unrealistic," Ferguson told The Sunday Times. "Like other clubs, we have to be aware of the consequences of the credit crunch. It's no time to be careless about money. As far as Tevez is concerned, everybody would be best served by a willingness to compromise."
Tevez appeared to wave farewell to United fans Saturday when he was substituted during the 0-0 draw with Arsenal that clinched the club's third straight Premier League title. He also said it would be "difficult" to remain at Old Trafford while complaining that he had "not been respected" during the contract stand-off.
Tevez joined United from West Ham at the start of the 2007-8 season and has quickly become a fan favourite. More than a thousand supporters converged on the directors' exit and players' tunnel hurling beer cans Saturday chanting "Fergie, sign him up." However, a permanent deal is made more complex by the fact that Tevez's contract right is owned by a group of investors rather than another club.