New Shanghai Shenhua coach Gus Poyet says the signing of Carlos Tevez would be "fundamental" for his Chinese Super League side, though he cautioned that a deal for the Argentine star is not yet done.
Tevez, 32, has been offered a world-record wage to join the club, sources close to the player said earlier this week, and the president of his current club Boca Juniors said he expects Tevez to accept the transfer.
And Poyet told ESPN FC Radio in Argentina he was excited about all the different ways the striker could help improve his team.
"Carlos would be fundamental, key," Poyet said. "A footballer can be defined in many ways. When we speak of quality, we tend to talk about technical quality. In this case, we must talk about his general quality: how he controls [the ball]; in what way and with what mentality he plays and develops on and off the pitch."
Poyet played and coached in England for nearly two decades and recalled the winning goal Tevez scored on the last day of the season to prevent West Ham from being relegated in 2007.
"I remember Tevez's goal for West Ham against [Manchester] United to save [his team] from relegation," Poyet said. "Those are things that make a mark. He has something that makes his teams win. Wherever he goes [his team] wins, I hope that this is not the exception."
Poyet, who signed on as Shenhua's new coach late last month, said the club were already pursuing Tevez before his arrival, but that he had yet to speak to the player personally.
"I found out about the surprise after I signed," he said. "I knew nothing about the fact that he could arrive. Afterwards, they told me that negotiations were held, but they got cold. Later, I was warned that some barriers had been unlocked, and that was when the news broke worldwide.
"The leadership did not come to tell me that's that, he's coming on such and such day and so forth. One understands that this is how things are, but until I see him next to me here in Shanghai ... They told me 'We'll give you his phone,' they have yet to give it to me.
"I continue to wait with caution, because one can get excited and then if for some reason he does not arrive, you don't have the problem of having to replace any player, you have to replace Tevez."