Corinthians Slap Record Tag on Carlos Tevez

[Javier]

Argentina international striker Carlos Tevez would command a world-record transfer fee should he be tempted away from Corinthians after this summer's World Cup, according to Media Sport Investments (MSI), the investment company that controls the finances of the Brazilian club.

Tevez, a rumoured target of English giants Chelsea in recent weeks, has been the subject of frenzied media speculation in his home country in the build-up to the World Cup, which has suggested that it will be difficult for Corinthians to hold onto their prize asset once he has demonstrated his abilities on football's biggest stage.

But, according to MSI president Kia Joorabchian, any club that hopes to sign the 22-year-old former Boca Juniors star would have to be prepared to break the bank to do so.

"I know that after the World Cup in Germany lot of teams will want to buy Tevez, but it does not matter to us," he said. "Now, we have a project. In four or five years he will be sold.

"Tevez will leave Corinthians if a team pays the contract's release clause, which is between 100 million and 120 million euros (£69million and £83million).

"Maybe he won't leave Corinthians even for that money. I think that he is very happy here."

Tevez was a key part of the Boca side that secured victory in the 2003 Copa Libertadores and was voted the Argentinian Football Writers' Footballer of the Year in both 2003 and 2004.

In December 2004 he was transferred to Corinthians for a South American record fee of 22million US dollars (£12.87million) and has since gone on to become the club's captain and a firm fans' favourite.

"Players like Tevez do not have price," Joorabchian continued. "How much is Ronaldinho worth? How much is Thierry Henry worth? Players like them have an unknown value."

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/overseas/other/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=international_feed/06/04/28/SOCCER_Bra-Tevez.html&TEAMHD=foreign

[Mac 10 †]

scary thing is he has the potential to be worth that much.