Tevez and Keane — Contrasting tale of two strikers

LONDON — Manchester United is trying to decide whether 35 million pounds ($48.3 million; euro37.1 million) is too much to spend for Carlos Tevez, Liverpool is wondering whether almost half that sum for Robbie Keane was a waste of money.

With English football's two most successful clubs neck-and-neck in the Premier League title race, United has a talent it doesn't want to lose. The Reds are considering how much they might get for a striker who loves the team but has been a major flop.

Tevez is three quarters through a two-year loan deal with Manchester United which is pondering an asking price it considers excessive, bearing in mind the club still doesn't really know where the money would go anyway.

Although Tevez joined the Red Devils from West Ham, his contract is owned by a third party and United doesn't want to run the risk of the sort of disciplinary action that hit the Hammers.

The United fans want the club to take that risk and pay the money.

Watching the Argentina striker hit the Tottenham crossbar with a thunderbolt left foot shot, charge at defenders with his fast, determined runs and harrying Spurs players to try and win the ball, they pleaded with Ferguson to turn the loan deal into a full-time one, despite the cost.

If his phenomenal workrate is a judge, Tevez wants to stay. But reports of his apparent frustration have emerged in his homeland and that might alert other clubs who want to sign him if United continues to dither.

Ferguson has handed the matter over to chief executive David Gill.

"It doesn't frustrate me," the United manager said the last time he was asked about the Tevez situation. "I have been used to it over the years. You just have to be patient. It is not as if we have been short of negotiations, but I think we all know they can take a long time, and this one is just going along.

"David has been talking to his agent, so it is best left to him."

United is in painstaking negotiations with the people who handle Tevez' contract and financial issues.

The Argentina striker arrived in English football along with countryman Javier Mascherano from Brazilian club Corinthians in a deal brokered by a third party. West Ham signed them and wound up in big trouble with the Premier League for breaking its transfer rules.