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Fifa has confirmed that it will step into the Carlos Tevez row and investigate whether the Premier League were correct in their decision to fine West Ham, rather than dock them points for breaching rules.
West Ham were hit with a £5.5million fine after an independent commission found the club guilty of having a third-party agreement.
The furore caused by the Premier League's decision not to dock points incensed the other clubs that were involved at the foot of the table, with relegated Sheffield United proposing legal action.
Uefa has previously confirmed that it will not become embroiled in the on-going saga, but Fifa president Sepp Blatter is of no such inclination, and he is planning a thorough investigation.
"We will look at this - and not only if we are asked, we will do it anyway," Blatter told a media briefing in Zurich.
"We will ask for the file once it has been decided how and why the decision was made.
"If we feel something was wrong in this decision then we have to open our file."
Blatter continued to confirm that in terms of timescale a 'decision would have to be taken immediately.'
Fifa does have jurisdiction over individual clubs following a ruling by the Swiss federal court and this means that should it see fit, West Ham could be hit with further sanctions accordingly.
"Yes we have the power," Blatter concluded. "The Swiss federal court has made a ruling by saying that Fifa and its associations have the right and the power to use all 14 sanctions of the disciplinary code starting with a warning and ending with exclusion of a member via relegation and deduction of points."
West Ham will, though, be relieved to hear Blatter state that according to Fifa files, the transfer of Tevez and Javier Mascherano from Corinthians had complied with international transfer regulations.
"We will monitor this situation very carefully and once this situation is dealt with by the league and the FA we will ask for the files and have a look because we have the right and the responsibility to see how such cases are dealt with.
"The matter is linked with a club in Brazil - Corinthians - and with the ownership of this club and the ownership of the two players. "According to our files the transfer of Tevez was done correctly according to the international transfer of players."
West Ham were hit with a £5.5million fine after an independent commission found the club guilty of having a third-party agreement.
The furore caused by the Premier League's decision not to dock points incensed the other clubs that were involved at the foot of the table, with relegated Sheffield United proposing legal action.
Uefa has previously confirmed that it will not become embroiled in the on-going saga, but Fifa president Sepp Blatter is of no such inclination, and he is planning a thorough investigation.
"We will look at this - and not only if we are asked, we will do it anyway," Blatter told a media briefing in Zurich.
"We will ask for the file once it has been decided how and why the decision was made.
"If we feel something was wrong in this decision then we have to open our file."
Blatter continued to confirm that in terms of timescale a 'decision would have to be taken immediately.'
Fifa does have jurisdiction over individual clubs following a ruling by the Swiss federal court and this means that should it see fit, West Ham could be hit with further sanctions accordingly.
"Yes we have the power," Blatter concluded. "The Swiss federal court has made a ruling by saying that Fifa and its associations have the right and the power to use all 14 sanctions of the disciplinary code starting with a warning and ending with exclusion of a member via relegation and deduction of points."
West Ham will, though, be relieved to hear Blatter state that according to Fifa files, the transfer of Tevez and Javier Mascherano from Corinthians had complied with international transfer regulations.
"We will monitor this situation very carefully and once this situation is dealt with by the league and the FA we will ask for the files and have a look because we have the right and the responsibility to see how such cases are dealt with.
"The matter is linked with a club in Brazil - Corinthians - and with the ownership of this club and the ownership of the two players. "According to our files the transfer of Tevez was done correctly according to the international transfer of players."
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