Traffic says their partnership with Manchester United is sure to see more Brazilians follow the likes of the Da Silva twins, Rafael and Fabio, to Old Trafford.

"There is no controversy about what we do and no connection to the Tevez case," Jochen Losch, Traffic's head of international business, told the Telegraph.

"United are already in Brazil scouting teenagers but it is a very expensive way to do it. Now we look for players together and they have first option to take them at 17.

"Traffic maintain an interest in the player's economic rights, and we agree with United to take a percentage of any future transfer fee. The deal is within Fifa's rules. It would be circumventing the rules if the club was a sham and did not exist but it is 100pc legal."

A United spokesman concurred: "Our link is with the club so any deal to bring players in would be within FIFA and Premier League rules."