EVER since Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano began to turn heads at Boca Juniors and River Plate respectively, it was clear that a move to a European league was on the cards. What few would have imagined is that such a transfer would come at the end of a tortuous two-year rollercoaster involving a film noir’s worth of intrigue and mystery.

In 2004, Corinthians entered into an unusual agreement with a little-known company called Media Sports Investments (MSI), fronted by a young Anglo-Iranian entrepreneur named Kia Joorabchian. According to the terms of the agreement, MSI would effectively lease the running of the club for ten years in exchange for investing heavily in the playing squad and paying off Corinthians’ debt. Joorabchian was true to his word, bringing Tévez and Mascherano to the club in separate deals worth a combined £30 million.

This was welcomed, as the once-mighty Corinthians had hit upon difficult times, but speculation was rife over the investors behind MSI. To some, it seemed implausible that the thirtysomething Joorabchian could have the necessary financial muscle on his own and the rumour mill went into overdrive. The Brazilian press suggested that London-based Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky — a close friend of Joorabchian — or possibly even Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, were investors in MSI.

Not a shred of evidence has ever been produced linking them to the company. Indeed, such speculation seemed fuelled more by a daisy chain of acquaintances: Joorabchian had once sold a company to Berezovsky who, in turn, had been a business partner of Abramovich some ten years ago (although, reportedly, the two have since fallen out).

Joorabchian never denied that he had wealthy backers, but simply said they were powerful men with interests in oil, media and entertainment.

Corinthians won the Brazilian title last year, but the relationship between the club and MSI soured over the summer, prompting Flavio Audato, the vice-president, to say yesterday: “This whole deal with MSI was a big mistake. MSI forced us to do things which we would not have otherwise done.”

It reached breaking point in July when Mascherano and Tévez walked out on the club, reportedly unhappy with the appointment of Emerson Leão, the seventh coach since the MSI deal. This reinforced the notion, held by many, that Corinthians were, in fact, powerless over much of the playing squad. Indeed, according to sources close to the club, all but five of the Corinthians squad were effectively owned by MSI, rather than by the club; and it was MSI who paid their wages.

Such arrangements — where a player is owned by a corporate entity rather than a football club — are not unusual in South America. And while they are frowned upon by Fifa, the world governing body has neither the will nor the ability to crack down on such arrangements.

By Monday, the situation became unsustainable. Alberto Dualib, the Corinthians president, a member of the old regime at the club, flew to London with Joorabchian’s blessing. It was clear that he wanted to wrest control of Tévez’s future away from Joorabchian and to show that, nominally at least, the player belonged to Corinthians, not MSI.

“Tévez can’t go anywhere without my signature,” Dualib said last week. “I don’t care what club he signs for . . . but we have a right to benefit from his sale. After all, we helped him become what he is today.” According to sources close to Corinthians, Dualib held talks with a number of clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United. The closest he came to a deal was with the Old Trafford club, who had expressed an interest in Mascherano. Early Thursday evening, however, Dualib received a call from Old Trafford informing him that United would not be pursuing their interest in the young midfield player.

Thus began a frantic negotiation with West Ham United, which lasted well into the night. At about 2am yesterday, an agreement was reached. Sources familiar with the deal would not confirm the fee, but explained that the agreement was very complicated and was likely to include a number of provisions and clauses, including a release price of £32.5 million allowing for the players to be sold on in the near future.

The unusual anatomy of this deal leaves a wealth of unanswered questions. How much did West Ham actually pay? And, who did they pay? Corinthians or MSI? Last night, Joorabchian insisted that MSI’s involvement with the players was over. But even then, his words had the whiff of ambivalence. “You never know in football whether they will stay three, four or five years,” he said. “What is important is how the success of the two boys goes. All this will have an effect on how they continue. The transfer is on a permanent basis, so theoretically, MSI is not the owner.”

Just what that “theoretically” implies remains to be seen.

LOST IN TRANSLATION?
Some Spanish Cockney phrases . . .

Estoy siempre haciendo pompas
I’m forever blowing bubbles

Ni de Adan y Eva
Would you Adam’n’Eve it

Arriba los martillos
Up the ’Ammers

Jefe, no me gusta jugar arriba estando el Jack Jones
Boss, I don’t like playing up front on my own

Sube las manzanas y las peras
Up the apples and pears

Estoy en un dos y ocho
I’m in a right two and eight

Echas un carnicero
Take a butcher’s