ARGENTINA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Argentine soccer star Carlos Tevez talks in Buenos Aires about his career after successful season with West Ham United

Argentina and West Ham star Carlos Tevez talked of his future ambitions at a news conference in Buenos Aires on Friday (May 18) shortly after returning from England. Tevez said his priority was to stay with West Ham, but that he also dreamed of playing for a big European club. "The West Ham supporters were incredible to me, I will never forget it, and so West Ham will always have priority, but, if they are going to sell me, yes, I would like to play for a big European club," said Tevez, a key figure as the London club escaped relegation from the Premier League. Tevez said he knew nothing of rumours circulating that he might move on to Real Madrid next season. "The truth is I don't know anything about Real Madrid. I get excited just the same. I think if someone says something, there must be some truth, but I don't know. I only know because of the journalists," he said. West Ham, who had a poor season until the run-in when they won seven of their last nine games, escaped the drop after a Tevez goal gave them a dramatic final day 1-0 away win over champions Manchester United. In Buenos Aires, Tevez played for the legendary Boca Juniors Club, winning fans with his electric goals, toothy smile and all-out play on the field. Tevez added on Friday that he is ready to play in the Copa America, which starts on June 26 in Venezuela. "He (Coach Coco Basile) asked me if I was ready. I told him yes, that I don't take vacations. I don't want to take vacations. If the national team needs me, I've always said I'll be there," he said. The 23-year-old Tevez has been hailed along with Lionel Messi as the future of Argentine soccer and both are living up to their big billing with strong play in Europe and on the national team. But the signing of Tevez and compatriot Javier Mascherano, who moved to Liverpool in January, also created controversy. West Ham were fined a record 5.5 million pounds ($10.88 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 certain rights to third-party companies. West Ham admitted the charge and escaped a points deduction that would have almost certainly condemned them to relegation. Wigan Athletic, who survived the drop and Sheffield United, who went down, are 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. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said that soccer's governing body would investigate the case.

ITN Source | May 19, 2007

Tags:. .europe. .career. .goals. .fined. .figure