Rafael Benítez is preparing to antagonise Sir Alex Ferguson once more with an audacious bid to sign Carlos Tévez.

Tévez, who joined United in a controversial move from West Ham United in August 2007, would be likely to cost any other club more than the £22 million that United have to pay at the end of the season to turn the player’s loan into a permanent deal. Benítez, though, is determined to test the water.

The Spaniard knows that United have no control over Tévez if and when he leaves Old Trafford and that the Barclays Premier League leaders would not receive any money, with the transfer fee.

As revealed in The Times a week ago, Tévez concluded that his future lay away from United after being dropped for the 1-0 victory away to Porto in the Champions League quarter-final, second leg.

read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article6157813.ece