Travers unseats Herbies in West Ham’s Tevez saga

TRAVERS Smith has installed itself as West Ham United FC’s lead firm after the £105m takeover by Eggert Magnusson, advising the club on the protracted transfer of Carlos Tevez to Manchester United FC.

Herbert Smith advised the club on its takeover, but Travers has now usurped it as the main adviser.

Travers corporate partner Philip Cheveley and litigation partner John Kingston are leading the team.

Teacher Stern Selby partner Graham Shear is advising Argentine star Tevez, as well as football entrepreneur Kia Joorabchian, who owns the player’s economic rights.

The third-party ownership of Tevez’s rights is adding to the complexity of the transfer. The FA Premier League has called in DLA Piper partners Mark Gay and Simon Levine to help unravel the mess.

Last month the Premier League fined West Ham a record £5.5m for breaking transfer rules on third parties when the club signed Tevez and fellow Argentine international Javier Mascherano.

Brabners Chaffe Street partner Maurice Watkins is acting for longstanding client Man Utd on the Tevez move.

Brabners also advised Liverpool FC and Shear advised Mascherano when he quit West Ham for Liverpool earlier in the year in a similarly complex deal.