David Gill, the Manchester United chief executive, is confident the Carlos Tevez affair will be settled before the transfer window closes at midnight on August 31.

Fifa have been asked to break the contractual impasse which has blocked Tevez's proposed move from West Ham United to Old Trafford. With the transfer deadline looming, Manchester United want the case heard on an "expedited basis", and Gill expects Fifa's disputes resolution panel to have reached a decision before the end of next month.

"What you find in these situations is that Fifa and the necessary bodies try to make sure the player can play, whether it's for Manchester United or for West Ham," said Gill, who is on United's pre-season tour of the Far East. "I would have thought they will do everything they can to make sure the decision is made within the appropriate period."

Even if the issue does stretch beyond August 31, Tevez would still be allowed to move to Manchester United if Fifa determine he is an effective free agent. The same situation applied to Tevez's fellow Argentina international, Javier Mascherano, when he moved from West Ham to Liverpool earlier this year.

West Ham, Manchester United and Tevez's adviser Kia Joorabchian were all keen for Fifa to be called in to settle the complex situation.

The row is over who owns the player and therefore who Manchester United do a deal with and in recent days has led to an outbreak of mud-slinging between West Ham and Joorabchian. West Ham insist Tevez is contracted and registered with them while Joorabchian and his company MSI claim to own the Argentina striker's economic rights. The Premier League have demanded West Ham must receive the bulk of the £30 million transfer fee if they are to sanction the move.

"The issue is effectively who owns the economic rights to the player, who owns the registration of that player, and therefore what happens to any monies that we might pay," Gill said. "Can he unilaterally terminate his registration? Can he move on? That's the fundamental issue."

West Ham insist they will be bound by Fifa's verdict and will not take the matter further.