Tevez shines through Hammers' woes

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(CNN) -- When details of Carlos Tevez's move to West Ham United were revealed back in August, the Argentine forward could have been forgiven for reaching for his atlas of world football and asking, "Where?"

As one of his country's hottest exports -- Tevez had already been the subject of South America's biggest and most unexpected transfer deal when he moved from Boca Juniors to Brazil's Corinthians for $20 million in 2004 -- it had long been taken for granted that Tevez's talents would take him to Europe.

Yet it had been assumed his destination would be one of the continent's big clubs, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich among those linked to the player, described by Diego Maradona as an "Argentinean prophet for the 21st century."

Instead, Tevez, along with Argentina and Corinthians teammate Javier Mascherano, found themselves dispatched to West Ham, an unglamorous club from London's East End with plenty of heritage but little that ought to have appealed to a pair of glittering World Cup stars.

The murky nature of the deal -- the pair were partly-owned by a sports rights company owned by an Iranian-born businessman, Kia Joorabchian, who had previously been linked to a possible West Ham takeover bid -- also left many Hammers fans scratching their heads.

Those concerns were borne out last week West Ham were fined a record £5.5 million ($11m) after admitting transfer irregularities in the deal for Tevez and Mascherano, although the club, currently third from last in the Premier League, was spared a points deduction that might have confirmed its relegation.

On the field, Tevez's move to West Ham initially appeared as misguided as the circumstances surrounding the deal. Struggling to adapt to the pace of the English game, and dropped into a squad already plagued by player unrest, the piratical center forward looked out of sorts, failing to find the net until March and often finding himself out of the starting 11.

Yet Hammers fans have warmed to the Argentine's work rate and commitment. In recent weeks Tevez has also rekindled the form that made him such a favorite at his previous clubs, scoring and making the goals that have given West Ham renewed hope -- albeit slim -- of avoiding the drop.

Ironically, while Tevez faces the ignominy of relegation, Mascherano, who was shuffled onto Liverpool in February after a handful of undistinguished appearances in West Ham's claret and blue colors, could yet end the season with a European Cup winner's medal.

Tevez insists he will do all he can to help West Ham get out of trouble and says he feels no guilt for the controversy that has engulfed the club: Ever since I have been at West Ham I have only ever worried about playing as well as I can and giving my best to the team.. The fans know that and that is why they love me."

Yet, whether West Ham survive or not, it is hard not to think that other challenges lie ahead for Tevez -- and the race for his signature is likely to be one of the most keenly contested transfer sagas of the close-season.

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