FIFA to investigate Tevez row

FIFA will investigate the controversial transfer to West Ham of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, the world governing body's president Sepp Blatter said.

Blatter told a media briefing at FIFA headquarters in Zurich that his organisation would look into the case regardless of any legal challenges launched by West Ham's rival clubs.

"We are monitoring this situation carefully and we will ourselves look at the files once it has been dealt with by the English league and the Football Association," Blatter said.

West Ham were fined a record £5.5 million last month by an independent Premier League commission which ruled that the players' contracts drawn up at their August transfer contravened league rules by giving rights to third-party companies.

West Ham escaped a points deduction that would have almost certainly condemned them to relegation.

Instead, West Ham, who had a poor season until the run-in when they won seven of their last nine games with Tevez the key figure, succeeded in escaping the drop after a dramatic final day 1-0 win away to champions Manchester United.

West Ham's success meant Sheffield United were relegated after a 2-1 home defeat by Wigan Athletic, who also escaped relegation.

Wigan and Sheffield United are now at the head of a group of clubs threatening to challenge the Premier League in the courts over its decision not to dock West Ham points.

Although FIFA has traditionally gone through its national association members to enforce domestic sanctions, it now feels it can impose or overturn such punishments directly following a January ruling by Switzerland's federal court in favour of FIFA and against Spanish third division club Rayo Vallecano.