Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Manchester United have yet to broker a deal with Carlos Tevez's representatives over a permanent contract for the Argentinian forward.

The former West Ham United player, whose two-year loan at Old Trafford expires in June 2009, has been linked with a January move to Real Madrid following knee surgery that will rule Ruud van Nistelrooy out until next season.

Tevez has made it clear he wants to stay at the Red Devils and wrap up a long-term deal, despite his recent inability to claim a place in Ferguson's team.

United are due to pay Tevez's owners, MSI, £22m to seal a permanent move, on top of two payments of £5m to secure the player's signing on loan for this season and last.

But despite the speculation surrounding Tevez, Ferguson, whose team host Stoke City on Saturday, admits both parties are still keen to thrash out a contract.

There is no change regarding Carlos, but negotiations like this are always protracted and that's the situation we find ourselves in with Carlos's agent
Sir Alex Ferguson on Manchester United's attempts to sign Carlos Tevez on a permanent basis.

". David Gill (United chief executive) has been talking to him quite a lot, but there is nothing to report."

Doubts over whether Tevez has a long-term future at Old Trafford have grown in the wake of Dimitar Berbatov's August arrival at the club.

Since then, Ferguson has invariably build his attacking line-up around the Bulgarian, with Wayne Rooney currently his preferred partner.