Carlos Tevez. Where next?

Where next for Carlos Tevez? Manchester City? Chelsea? Certainly not Liverpool it would appear. Whether or not Sir Alex Ferguson has laid down the law and told Tevez he can’t go to their arch rivals is pretty immaterial. Striker Tevez was on loan to Manchester United and out of contract and it seems highly unlikely that the manager could have enforced such a condition.

But Tevez himself seems to have ruled out going to Anfield as he says he has too much respect and love for the Manchester United fans. Let’s just see if money will talk on this issue. Hot favourites have to be Chelsea, though Manchester City will be snapping at their heels. Tevez says he wants to go to a club with plenty of ambition which wants to go places. He’s interested in commitment and intent and in achieving “great things”. Both Chelsea and Manchester City fall into this equation but so do Liverpool who will be aiming to knock Manchester United off their perch. Not of interest to Tevez?

Hopefully, the Argentinean striker will receive better treatment at his next club. Granted, Tevez did not score that many goals for Manchester United but it would be hard to fault his work-rate and commitment which contributed to the club taking the Premiership title. He was popular with most of the fans and the players and, in the end, though Manchester United did drag their feet over offering him a new deal, they did want him to stay. The one big thing he did wrong was to go to the papers, a move always guaranteed to get Sir Alex Ferguson’s back up. He detests being held to ransom and, from that moment on, the writing was on the wall.

Sir Alex must have been fighting with himself behind the scenes. On the one hand, he obviously wanted to get rid of Tevez and teach him a lesson. On the other, he realised he was a pretty decent player and could have filled a vital gap following the departure of Ronaldo to Real Madrid. So, following a protracted silence, Tevez was eventually offered a lucrative 25.5 million pound deal which would have kept him at Old Trafford for five more years. His agent obviously thought it was a pretty decent offer but Tevez delivered the ultimate snub, saying no thanks and I am off.

In a statement on his behalf, Tevez said he just got the feeling that Manchester United weren’t that keen on him staying. He wanted more time to consider the deal and if United had given it to him, it was more than likely that he would have stayed. But they didn’t and that was that. Tevez out of the door. Of course, there is always a very small chance that Tevez will change his mind and stay at Manchester United which would be a real turn up for the books. But, as that old saying goes, anything can happen in football.

Tevez future looks set to be decided once and for all

Manchester United have said today that the future of Carlos Tevez will be resolved in early June. The Argentine forward has been the centre of much speculation, for a large part of this Premier League season.

His substitution yesterday in the match against Arsenal, which saw United lift the Premier League crown, suggested that it might be his last game at Old Trafford. However, the echoes flying out of Manchester today suggest that United would like Tevez to stay and have started working on the terms and details.

The point is that Tevez is not contracted to a club, he is contracted to an agent, Kia Joorabchian. The sum of money reportedly being asked for to make Tevez into a permanent United player is thought to be in excess of £25 million, making the total paid by United for his services £35 million.

Both Tevez and Sir Alex Ferguson have expressed their desire to get the matter sorted and Tevez would jump at the chance to stay at a club where he is worshipped by the fans. It would also save a headache for Ferguson who will want to keep one of his most influential players.

United’s Chief Executive, David Gill, said today: “The actual situation will be cleared up in early June. Carlos has done very well. We would like him to stay but the actual economic situation needs to be clarified.”

United were offered support yesterday by European officials that suggested Tevez’s contract with Joorabchian was nothing more than on an employment type basis, suggesting that Tevez could join United permanently for free. However, the West Ham United and Sheffield United affair showed just how ugly a tussle over Tevez can get and United will not want a repeat in a summer where they will be keeping an eye on many other stars.

The news is positive for United fans though, and for playing staff alike. Tevez does not seem to have an ego and is the sort of player that will run himself into the ground over 90 minutes for his club. He seems genuinely pleased to be where he is and has often kissed the United badge on scoring this season.

It doesn’t make sense to get rid of a player that everyone seems to adore and get on with. There will be a lot of arm wrestling to get him released from whatever current agreement he is held to but United clearly admire and respect Tevez enough to consider it as an option.

Gill’s promise that the matter will be sorted swiftly will be relief to admirers of the club as reports all season long have linked Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo with moves to Spain. It proves that the club has further ambition, despite ample glory, and is determined to not be pushed around by any outside parties.

If a reasonable deal can be reached and all parties concerned are happy then Tevez will be wearing the red shirt of United at the start of next season. Let’s hope the speculation stops and the matter can be settled once and for all.