Fulham claim £700,000 over Tevez

Fulham have made a claim for £700,000 from West Ham as compensation for alleged losses caused by the Carlos Tevez saga.

The west London club have acted in the wake of the Hammers reaching an out-of-court settlement with Sheffield United worth £15million spread over five years.

Fulham believe they missed out on significant Premier League merit money after finishing 16th at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, two points behind the Hammers who were 15th.

Fulham received £20.26m as their share of League earnings from broadcasting while West Ham got £20.71m. The difference is £450,000 although Fulham are understood to be claiming £700,000, which is the extra amount they would have banked if the finishing positions were reversed this season.

It is understood Fulham, who are competing with West Ham for a place in next season's Europa Cup, have based their action on conclusions reached in the arbitration judgement of the independent tribunal into the Tevez affair chaired by Lord Griffiths.

In the judgment of the panel there was "no doubt" that West Ham would have banked "at least three fewer points" without Tevez, which would have seen them relegated.

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola admitted he is fed up with the seemingly never-ending Tevez saga, saying: "For me, this agreement is the end of the matter and my hope was we would be left in peace. It is settled but we are still taking about it. It is a little bit annoying.

"For me this makes no sense. It was not only about Tevez that season. Yossi Benayoun played fantastically well, Robert Green was outstanding, as was Lucas Neill. It was a team effort and for me the whole thing is stupid. Enough is enough."