SAO PAULO (AFP) - West Ham's Argentine international forward Carlos Tevez celebrated his first goal for the Premiership side on Sunday by admitting on Monday he would like to return to Brazilian team Corinthians.

Tevez arrived from the Sao Paulo outfit alongside international team-mate Javier Mascherano on transfer deadline day in August, a move that sent shockwaves through football - Mascherano has since moved on to Liverpool.

It had been shrouded in secrecy and took everyone by surprise. To add to the intrigue, no financial details were released and a management company allegedly owned the contracts for both players.

At the weekend Tevez netted a sublime free-kick as his relegation-threatened side lost 4-3 at home to Tottenham.

But Tevez said Monday he has received an approach from Rio de Janeiro giants Flamengo, although the Argentine said he would like to return to Brazilian football but only to play for Corinthians.

Tevez was speaking by telephone on a television programme 'Tercer Tiempo'.

"Many people say that I left by the back door at Corinthians, but that wasn't the case," said 'Carlitos', as he was known in Brazil.

"I know that I am going to return to Corinthians and give the fans what they want. They can rest assured that I will return."

That may even happen sooner than he expects as West Ham have been charged by the English Premier League for breaking transfer rules over the signing of the two Argentines and it remains to be seen what comes of that.

With West Ham also looking certain to be relegated, Tevez will surely not play in the English second tier.

Corinthians are struggling at the moment and need a boost having lost 3-0 to Palmeiras in the Sao Paulo state championship, leaving them in ninth place and with little chance of qualifying for the championship semi-finals.