Striker still has grievances with manager Roberto Mancini
Manchester City's top scorer Carlos Tevez could be ready to leave the club in the summer. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Manchester City are increasingly convinced that Carlos Tevez will try to resurrect a transfer away from the club this summer, in part because of the difficulties in his relationship with Roberto Mancini.
Tevez is being prominently linked with a £40m move to Internazionale and there is a begrudging acceptance at Eastlands, both at boardroom level and among the management, that the club captain is giving serious consideration to leaving.
Mancini evaded the issue when he was asked at his press conference on Thursday whether the injured 26-year-old may have played his last game for the club. Since then, however, the Italian's associates have confirmed he fears the worst, and that he is not alone at City when it comes to feeling uneasy about the Argentinian's strategy for the next few months.
The Guardian has also established that Tevez has several grievances with Mancini despite making a great show of praising the manager when he withdrew his transfer request last December. The pair have had an occasionally volatile relationship even though Mancini made the Argentinian his captain at the start of the season in a deliberate attempt to pacify him.
Tevez also believes there are several unresolved issues from December, when he feels he was treated badly by the club. One of his points at the time was that he felt a move to Spain or Italy would enable him to see more of his daughters, Florencia and Katia, now he is separated from their mother, Vanessa. That remains the case.
Inter would be one of the few clubs with the financial power to arrange a possible deal, particularly if they sell Wesley Sneijder, but the Tevez camp have told this newspaper that reports in Italy of him verbally agreeing a five-year contract to move to San Siro are "categorically untrue".
Tevez has been staying in Milan, with City's permission, for treatment on the hamstring injury that is threatening to ruin his chances of playing in the FA Cup final. His girlfriend, an actress, is also currently working in the city. Tevez is being treated by the Argentinian team doctor at the hotel where Inter's players and staff stay before matches, the explanation being that the same doctor is also treating Walter Samuel.
City's stance is that they will not address the matter until the end of the season but that it will be their decision, not Tevez's, citing what happened when he submitted his transfer request in December. Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the club's chairman, became personally involved, flying from Abu Dhabi to Manchester to tell the striker that he was under contract and would not be allowed to leave midway through the season. Even then, however, City were privately admitting they were not confident enough to be certain the player and his representatives saw it as more than a short-term agreement.
What is not clear is whether City have the appetite to dissuade him once again. Tevez has a nomadic track record, with five different employers in 10 years, and his position at City is complicated by the difficult relationship between the club and the player's adviser, Kia Joorabchian.
Garry Cook, City's chief executive, was once a close ally of the man at the centre of Tevez's business dealings, but that disintegrated last year to the point where they were communicating only via email. Tevez released a statement at the time saying his relationship with the club's executives had "broken down and is beyond repair". City's feelings were laid bare in their own statement, saying they were "disappointed by this situation and particularly the actions of Carlos's representative". Joorabchian, however, has always strongly denied that he tried to influence Tevez to leave the club.
Tevez's form has dipped over the last couple of months and he recently went his longest run of games without scoring. Yet it speaks volumes for his record at City that it was only an eight-match sequence. Tevez has been one of the more prolific strikers in the Premier League and, if he were to leave, it would represent a major loss to the team's hopes of mounting an authentic title challenge next season. He is City's leading scorer, with 22 goals, and has scored 51 times in 82 games.
City's other options in attack are limited, with Edin Dzeko struggling to adapt to life in England since his £27m move from Wolfsburg in January. Mancini believes Mario Balotelli can have a more productive second season but does not want Emmanuel Adebayor or Craig Bellamy to return from loan spells with Real Madrid and Cardiff City, while the Brazilian Jô is expected to leave.
Nigel De Jong: 'People treated me like a war criminal' after World Cup
Midfielder felt victimised after Xabi Alonso horror tackle • De Jong admits he should have seen red
Nigel De Jong says he was treated "like a war criminal" in the wake of the stormy World Cup final in which his chest-high, studs-first challenge on Spain's Xabi Alonso caused controversy.
The Holland and Manchester City midfielder admitted he should have received a red card, not a yellow for the challenge but believes he has since been vilified at home and abroad. The Dutch went on to lose the ill-tempered game after John Heitinga was sent off.
De Jong told De Volkskrant: "At no time did I see Xabi Alonso because I was focused only on the ball.
"Actually, when I think back about it, it was not good at all. Of course the referee [Howard Webb] should have shown a red card for the foul. That is obvious."
The incident left De Jong fearing for his safety. "I had the feeling that there were people who wanted to harm me," he said. "I've been public enemy number one on many occasions. Honestly, people treated me like a war criminal. It was an unpleasant sensation."
Juventus make Manchester City's Micah Richards a €17m summer target
Italian giants made an enquiry in January and will return again at the end of the season with a sizeable bid for the unsettled defender, who is ready to quit City in the summer
Manchester City star Micah Richards is a €17 million summer target for Italian giants Juventus, Goal.com can reveal.
The 22-year-old defender has enjoyed a superb season at Eastlands but could still find himself on the fringes of the squad next season if City are successful in their pursuit of Ajax full-back Gregory van der Wiel.
Richards wanted to join Tottenham last summer and is again ready to consider his future at the end of the season, when he will have two years left on his contract. City hope to convince the Birmingham-born defender to sign a new deal but the player wants to keep his options open.
Goal.com understands Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta made an enquiry for Richards in the January transfer window and is ready to return in the summer as the Serie A club look to solve their problem right-back position.
The 27-time Italian champions have previously been linked with Liverpool and England right-back Glen Johnson as well as Chelsea's Jose Bosingwa.
The England international is believed to be willing to listen to any proposal, although a switch to Turin could depend on who is in charge of Juve, with coach Luigi Del Neri expected to be sacked at the end of the season because the club are almost certain to miss out on qualification for next season's Champions League.
Richards made his City debut as a 17-year-old in 2005 but has struggled to fulfil his potential, despite impressing this season as the club look set to finish in the top four and qualify for next term's Champions League.
He has a poor relationship with City manager Roberto Mancini after the Italian singled him out for criticism last season, while he was also unsettled by the Eastlands club's failed pursuit of Barcelona star Daniel Alves.
Richards has been out of action for a month with a hamstring injury but is expected to return for the trip to Blackburn on Monday night.
35 years coming: Manchester City make ‘cautious’ plan for FA Cup victory parade
City are planning a victory parade through Manchester - if they win the FA Cup
Manchester City are set to hold a victory parade if they triumph in the FA Cup Final.
Eastlands officials have already held meetings with council bosses aimed at turning the streets of Manchester sky blue as Roberto Mancini’s men bid for the club’s first silverware since 1976.
They take on Stoke City at Wembley next month – and if they are successful, fans can expect to see Carlos Tevez and company parading around town on an open-top bus.
The club are understood to be wary of releasing details and a source said they had no option other than to make ‘precautionary plans’.
They do not want to be seen as cocky, or over-confident of beating the Potteries club on May 14.
The parade would not be held until the end of the Premier League season, which finishes eight days later.
Exact route details have not been planned but it is expected to end at Eastlands.
The news is not likely to go down well with the Red half of the city.
In 2008, after winning the Champions League, League Cup and Premier League, United were denied the chance to parade their trophies.
Safety reasons were given as the official explanation, with security fears raised after fans of Glasgow Rangers rioted in Manchester earlier that year before their club’s Uefa Cup Final defeat at Eastlands.
It has since emerged that a row over policing costs put paid to the planned celebrations.
In 2009, with the Reds back in the Champions League Final, the club was given the green light to hold a parade by Manchester and Trafford councils.
But those plans were scrapped when United men were beaten by Barcelona.
It is understood that this time round, if City triumph, the parade will carry a huge policing bill.
But it is likely money would be no object for the oil-rich Blues as they look to celebrate their first major triumph in decades.
Nobody from the club was prepared to comment.
And a spokesman for Manchester council said simply: "We are having preliminary discussions and will make a statement following consultation with the club and Greater Manchester Police."
United are favourites to land this year’s Premier League title and are still in the hunt for Champions League glory.
A spokesman said a parade would only be considered if they triumphed in Europe.
In 1999 thousands lined the streets to welcome back the Reds after they picked up an historic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies.
STOKE BOLLOX
Rumours are abounding that Stoke City manager, Tony Pulis, has done a deal to ensure that Stoke win the FA Cup. However, the beleaguered Stoke boss has denied any such deal has occurred.
"There's absolutely no truth in the rumour at all," said Pulis. "Obviously, I've heard the talk too, how if we win the FA Cup, we will roll over and let Manchester City secure fourth spot three days later when we meet them in the penultimate game of the season, thus guaranteeing us both a route into Europe next season."
Pulis has is reasons. "We're only five points clear of Blackpool, and could quite easily get pulled into the relegation quagmire, so we don't want to risk dropping any points in the league."
Manchester City and Stoke City will meet twice in four days, firstly in the FA Cup, and then three days later in the league. In both cases, Pulis's team will be the away team.
"Manchester City hold no fears for us," said Pulis, "but we're not even considering those games yet, never mind making under the table deals to ensure lucrative money making opportunities next season for both clubs."
Roberto Mancini was unavailable for comment, as no translator was available at such short notice, however, a rudimentary knowledge of Italian allowed one undercover reporter to learn a little bit.
"I'm not a hundred percent," said undercover reporter, John Smith (not his real name, his real name is Matt Smith, but people confuse him with Doctor Who, so he uses a nom-de-plume). "I think he was on the phone to his sheik bosses, and he was saying that he's going to 'throw' the FA cup, although it could have been 'win' the FA cup, the two verbs sound similar. He then said something about City probably or definitely having a Champions League place."
WAG OF THE DAY
Steve Curry's fat red bastid can't be late for Sunday's Man U supplement
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... nners.html
OTHER BOLLOX
Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal are all interested in Roma winger Jeremy Menez. Daily Mirror
Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku is bound for the Premier League according to Fabrizio Ferrari, an Italian agent involved in the Belgian transfer market. Chelsea are believed to see the 17-year-old as the long-term replacemnet for Didier Drogba. talkSPORT
Everton are planning to strengthen their defence with the recruitment of Stuttgart's Matthieu Delpierre. talkSPORT
West Brom may test Norwich's determination to hold on to striker Grant Holt. Daily Mirror
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has suggested that he would like to sign Didier Drogba should Chelsea sell the Ivory Coast striker in the summer. Daily Telegraph
Former Aston Villa striker John Carew is hoping that his six-month deal at Stoke is made permanent. Carew's time with the Potters has been hampered by injury and Stoke boss Tony Pulis has yet to decide on his future. Daily Mirror
Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano, formerly of Liverpool, is in the sights of Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. Caught Offside
Steve Bruce is coming under increasing pressure as manager of Sunderland as his side find themselves five points from the relegation zone with one point over the last nine games. the Guardian
Midfielder Scott Parker says being voted 2011 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association will count for little if West Ham are relegated from the Premier League. The Hammers captain stated: "If we don't stay up, yes, it will tarnish it." Daily Star
Everton boss David Moyes does not want Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, 69, to retire in the near future even though it might improve the Goodison Park club's chances of winning a trophy. The Sun
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is confident that his friend Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish will lead the Anfield outfit back into Premier League title contention next season. Daily Express
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew believes that the Magpies being relegated two years ago gave the club the kick up the backside that they desperately needed. Daily Star
Arsenal playmaker Andrey Arshavin has conceded that he is carrying a few extra pounds after an underwhelming season for the Gunners. Daily Mirror
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has reminded his players that they can beat the odds and avoid relegation. He has pulled out newspaper clippings that have ridiculed their chances of survival to motivate his squad. Daily Star
The Football Association has rebuffed hundreds of letters from fans suggesting the Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish should receive a Wayne Rooney-type punishment after being caught swearing on camera.
Dalglish was heard directing an expletive toward Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger after the 1-1 draw between the sides on Sunday. However, the FA have drawn a distinction between the manager's actions and those of Manchester United striker Rooney. The FA said: "The clear distinction to be made in the Wayne Rooney case is that the language used was directed specifically at a television camera lens, whilst clearly audible to the viewing public."
Daily Mail
