Zola insists Tevez trauma does not affect squad

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola insists the ongoing Carlos Tevez saga is not having a detrimental effect on him or his players.

The Hammers could be forced to pay compensation to Sheffield United after an arbitration panel ruled that Tevez should not have been permitted to play in the final matches of the 2006-07 season, when he helped his side avoid relegation at the Blades' expense.

The east London club argue they have already been punished by the Premier League - they were fined £5.5 million - but the matter will return to the High Court next year.

In March the two parties will meet the arbitration panel to agree a compensation figure, but in the meantime the matter could be settled out of court.

Sheffield United are said to want £50million, but even a fraction of this sum would impact on West Ham's already shaky finances; their owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has suffered huge losses following the collapse of several of his companies in his native Iceland.

Zola's ability to sign players in the January transfer window would doubtless be hampered, but for now the Italian is focusing on on-field activities only as they prepare to face Liverpool at Anfield tonight.

"As far as I'm concerned I know the club is strong enough to deal with it and the players and manager are not concerned about it,'' he said.

"For now, it's nothing. I've been assured the club is all right, the club is fine, so I'm focusing on what is important for us which is getting points for the club.

"Of course I read about it but I very much trust the club. They tell me we are fine, we are going to get through this so I trust them.

"It's my duty to make sure on the pitch everything goes well so doing this is the best thing I can do and I'm focused on that.''

• Sebastian Giovinco will not be joining West Ham, according to his agent.

The Juventus attacking midfielder is a target of the London club, with Hammers coach Gianfranco Zola showing an interest in taking the 21-year-old on loan, having previously worked with him at Italy Under-21 level.

"Seba (Giovinco) will remain in Turin,'' said Giovinco4s agent Andrea D'Amico. "Everyone knows that Zola has great admiration for Giovinco and it doesn4t surprise me that they would like him at West Ham.

"But the episode of sending him somewhere else to prove his quality is a chapter of the past. If Sebastian is at Juve it means that he has the quality of Juve. He is awaiting his moment and he is patient.''

Giovinco, who returned to Juve in the summer after a successful loan deal at Empoli, recently signed a two-year contract extension which will keep him in Turin through 2013.