Sir Bobby Charlton believes Carlos Tevez has all the credentials required to be a Manchester United player.
The Argentina star is due to fly into the north-west this week for a medical which will form the latest stage in a protracted attempt to sign him from West Ham.
Legal wrangles continue over who actually owns Tevez's registration, with the Premier League insisting any money United pay for the player must go direct to the Hammers.
This view is contested by Tevez's adviser Kia Joorabchian, who claims he owns the right to the player and he had only loaned him to West Ham for the season.
United chief executive David Gill, an FA board member, has branded the transfer 'over-complicated'. But, should it finally be completed, Charlton is confident Tevez has what it takes to become an Old Trafford star.
"Carlos is a tremendous prospect and hopefully we can complete the signing sooner rather than later," he said.
"I often talk about the exciting players we try to bring to this club; Carlos Tevez is one of them.
"He is a marvellous talent and we are always interested in bringing talented players to Manchester United."
The Red Devils' legal expert Maurice Watkins has cancelled plans to join United's party in the Far East in order to try to find a resolution to the ongoing dispute, which centres around whether West Ham were right to unilaterally cancel a third-party agreement over Tevez with Joorabchian in order for the striker to play in their final three Premier League games last term.
That Tevez subsequently played a major role in keeping the Hammers in the top flight, scoring the winner at United on the final day of the season which confirmed their Premier League status, only adds to the problem.
However, Gill, whose presence in the Far East on United's four-match Asian tour should end rumours of a Thursday press conference for the player, is confident United will eventually get their man.
"We are working on it," he said.
"In my opinion, it has become over-complicated.
"Effectively, we are trying to work with four parties - the player, West Ham, the company who own Carlos' economic rights and the Premier League - in order to sort it out.
"The process is ongoing. The player will have a medical at some point this week, then we will take it from there.
"We still have to sort out the paperwork but we are confident that can be achieved in the course of the next week or so."
Legal wrangles continue over who actually owns Tevez's registration, with the Premier League insisting any money United pay for the player must go direct to the Hammers.
This view is contested by Tevez's adviser Kia Joorabchian, who claims he owns the right to the player and he had only loaned him to West Ham for the season.
United chief executive David Gill, an FA board member, has branded the transfer 'over-complicated'. But, should it finally be completed, Charlton is confident Tevez has what it takes to become an Old Trafford star.
"Carlos is a tremendous prospect and hopefully we can complete the signing sooner rather than later," he said.
"I often talk about the exciting players we try to bring to this club; Carlos Tevez is one of them.
"He is a marvellous talent and we are always interested in bringing talented players to Manchester United."
The Red Devils' legal expert Maurice Watkins has cancelled plans to join United's party in the Far East in order to try to find a resolution to the ongoing dispute, which centres around whether West Ham were right to unilaterally cancel a third-party agreement over Tevez with Joorabchian in order for the striker to play in their final three Premier League games last term.
That Tevez subsequently played a major role in keeping the Hammers in the top flight, scoring the winner at United on the final day of the season which confirmed their Premier League status, only adds to the problem.
However, Gill, whose presence in the Far East on United's four-match Asian tour should end rumours of a Thursday press conference for the player, is confident United will eventually get their man.
"We are working on it," he said.
"In my opinion, it has become over-complicated.
"Effectively, we are trying to work with four parties - the player, West Ham, the company who own Carlos' economic rights and the Premier League - in order to sort it out.
"The process is ongoing. The player will have a medical at some point this week, then we will take it from there.
"We still have to sort out the paperwork but we are confident that can be achieved in the course of the next week or so."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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