Is Chelsea behind the Tevez and Mascherano West Ham Deal?

By: Bob | August 31st, 2006

Things were kind of quiet and dull this transfer window until the bombshell announcement that Argentine stars Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano had been signed by West Ham.

This news, shocking in the fact that a pair of 22 year old studs were snatched up by a team that was only just promoted to the Premiership this season and that doesn’t exactly ooze with money, has awoken the conspiracy theorist. God bless them, they keep life interesting.

The conspiracy strain goes like this.

Tevez and Mascherano are controlled by Media Sports Investments, a mysterious London-based group that bought up Corinthians. No one quite knows who the money man behind MSI is, but there is speculation that it is none other than Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

If you accept this leap of faith, than you’ll naturally conclude that the West Ham transfer was made because it keeps two potential stars away from Chelsea’s Premiership rivals and it allows Chelsea to wait a bit for the players to develop in England before they swoop in and add them to their all-star cast.

Crazy talk or reality? What do you think?

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Anon Ymous

Ok - I know for a fact that Chelsea have funded the deal. Because Tevez and Mascherano do not have European experience, they're being blooded in the Premiership and if they succeed Chelsea will 'buy' them in the summer. Confirmed by a genuine inside source.
sevmard

I think it's a tad dodgy as well. I mean how could you seriously pick West Ham over those other Preimier clubs, places that Tevez of course would be playing right away at. Maybe it is a bit of Chelsea-linked controversy...
BlueBlood58

News is breaking over here in the UK that West Ham are in talks over a possible take-over. Coincidence you think?? Of course it is. WHU sign Tevez and Mascherano initially on a loan and then it was announced the deals were permanent and then the rumours about RA, MSI, Pini Zahavi (super Footballers Agent) start to surface and WHU think they have got the 'best' deal of the century.

They forget that Lampard, Joe Cole, Glenn Johnson 'fed' Chelsea to their current success. I fear the worse for Chelsea Football Club.

Forget the flag that appears on posting. I AM posting from the UK, just using a different browser.
Luis

It's the corporate shuffle. Just shifting the cost center.
drogballs

I think they're behind it, I mean MSI. And from some sources I understand MSI will soon takeover West Ham Utd. And the thing now is both Tevez and Mascherano are not contracted under a club, but MSI. Makes them sound like slaves more than Makalele? :)
eeore

My bet is that this is part of a take over by MSI.
Chris

MSI was registered as a company in London in 2004, a year after Abramovich bought Chelsea.
It's headed by an Iranian who was educated in Britain called Kia Joorabchian who's had dealings with Boris Berezovsky, whose business protege in the 90's was Roman Abramovich.

Checkout this Guardian article from 2004 telling how MSI bought into Corinthians and how they signed Tevez from Boca Juniors.
http://football.guardian.co.uk...
Seven

YES. this is exactly the type of thing that has ruined the league. it is all about money and tv for the rich clubs. a backroom deal between west ham and chelsea.
OilerFan

It seems obvious to me that Chelsea is behind it. Seriously, when u have the likes of man u, arsenal, roma, milan knocking on ur door, WHU would'nt even cross my mind. In a year, they'll both be somewhere else, i'd bet on it.
Ed

Wouldn't shock me too much if West Ham was Chelsea's farm club. It is hard to imagine the Hammers have the money to pony up to get those guys. Guess we'll find out if they end up at Stamford Bridge in the future.