'I’m never going back to Manchester' says Tevez in astonishing attack on the city
Carlos Tevez has launched a vitriolic attack on Manchester – and admitted that he can’t wait to quit the city.
The Argentine striker, who became the star of the iconic ‘Welcome to Manchester’ poster when he quit United for City two years ago, has risked alienating fans of both clubs by claiming their city has “nothing”.
Tevez, back in Buenos Aires after captaining City to their first trophy triumph in 35 years three weeks ago when they beat Stoke in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, is currently deciding whether to leave Eastlands despite still having three years left on his contract.
He has hinted recently that he wants to stay – but his comments on an Argentine talk show will not go down well with Mancunians proud of their city’s heritage and culture.
Tevez was being interviewed by Susana Gimenez – Argentina’s equivalent of Oprah Winfrey – when he was informed that South American model Evangelina Anderson has just bought a villa in Marbella.
His response was: “Yes but Marbella is different from Manchester. You can buy a holiday house in Marbella, but I’m never going back to Manchester, not even on holiday, not for anything.
“Of course I would buy a house in Marbella.
“The weather, everything. Manchester has nothing.
“For example in Marbella you can buy a house by the beach, relax there and later you can go there on holiday and everything.
“But a house in Manchester? On top of that a house in Manchester costs six or seven million pounds. Pounds!
“It’s better to rent and that’s that.”
Susana said “It’s very expensive there” and Tevez replied: “It’s another world.”
Tevez, 26, demanded a transfer in January only to withdraw his request after being told by City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak that he was not for sale.
But he continues to miss his daughters Katia and Florencia, who live in Argentina with his estranged wife Vanesa.
And despite sharing the Premier League golden boot with Dimitar Berbatov after scoring 21 goals for City last season, the club have been expecting their captain to once again ask to leave.
Tevez added: “I don’t have any new friends in Manchester. I am always with my family and lifelong friends. I don’t even leave my house. I’m the stay-at-home type.
“When I have my dad and friends over we have a barbecue, we have fun. But I’m always on my own, especially in the last few months. I was with friends, but I’ve found the past few months very hard.”
On Friday, Tevez’s agent Kia Joorabchian insisted that Tevez could stay with the Blues.
Joorabchian said: “I think it all boils down to his family. If they feel comfortable about moving to Manchester then there’s every chance he will stay at Manchester.”
. . . with that Exclusive in mind the same paper comes up with another shocker
City and United in £30m battle for Inter star
Wesley Sneijder has flown to California to decide on a £30million move to Manchester.
Inter Milan’s midfielder is at the centre of a sensational transfer tug of war between arch-rivals United and City.
Sneijder, 26, made a flying visit to England last week and then travelled on to Los Angeles to discuss his future with his model wife Yolanthe, who is on an assignment in California.
Sneijder has told both clubs that they will have to smash through the £200,000-a-week wage barrier to land him.
That will not worry the cash-rich Blues – even though they are looking to rein in expenditure as they look to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations.
And United proved when they broke their wage structure last season to hand Wayne Rooney a new contract worth £250,000-a-week that they will dig deep for the right player.
United believe they are favourites to win the battle for the exciting Holland international who would be a direct on-field replacement for Paul Scholes, who retired last week.
Soren Lerby, Sneijder’s agent, met Sir Alex Ferguson at United’s team hotel in London in April before the Reds played West Ham. Ferguson has also turned his attentions to Tottenham’s Luca Modric after being made aware that City are ready to splash the cash for Sneijder.
City chief executive Garry Cook and football administration officer Brian Marwood are both currently in America.
Sneijder, a close friend of City midfielder Nigel de Jong, was one of the stars of the World Cup last summer as Holland reached the final where they lost 1-0 to Spain in a controversial clash refereed by Howard Webb.
Sneijder had already enjoyed an outstanding season which included Inter lifting the Champions League and Serie A title under Jose Mourinho.
You can't beat NOTW thou for some marvellous expanding of an EXLUSIVE Mirror story ...
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez: 'Sheikh Mansour said I can leave if I want to'
Argentine also tells of his distaste for club chief executive Garry Cook, insisting he intends never to talk with him again after several promises were broken
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has revealed that the club’s owner, Sheikh Mansour, has told him he may leave if he wants to.
The Argentina international is continually being linked with a move away from England, with several of Europe’s biggest clubs paying close attention to his situation, and it is also understood that he would like to return to play football in his home nation with Boca Juniors.
Tevez has insisted that his allegiances lie with the club’s owner, rather than with the manager or chief executive Garry Cook, someone he openly dislikes.
The former Manchester United man claims that Mansour told him he just needs to be happy, and that the Arab owner has put the power of a potential transfer solely in Tevez’ hands.
Speaking to The News of the World, Tevez said: "He [Mansour] signed me, he wants to keep me but, at the same time, he has told me to do whatever I need to do to be happy.
"He has told me, 'If you want to leave, then you can go'. There is no deadline - it's down to me.
"They offered me a new contract in December but I didn't want to extend it.
"At the end of the season they offered me another new deal but at the moment I don't know whether I will accept it.
"There are options but if I don't play for Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter or Milan it won't be a massive void in my life.
"There are no other issues - Manchester is my second home."
About six months ago, the 27 year-old handed in a transfer request, a decision that appeared to come out of the blue with little light being cast on the situation; however Tevez claims he doesn’t regret the request.
He put all the blame on Garry Cook, City's chief executive, after he apparently failed to deliver on promises, and also says he does not intend to talk to Cook ever again.
"I have no regrets whatsoever about my transfer request,” he explained. "It was a situation that some people [Cook] on the board created. They promised something for six months and didn't deliver.
"So, after six months of promises, they don't do something - why should I believe them now? I don't. I will never speak to these people [Cook] again. I still feel the same way.
"I have principles and I will never speak with them - never. They have tried to speak with me but I will never talk with them. There is no way, it is not possible.
"I deal direct with Sheikh Mansour, no one else. It makes no difference to my future, as they [Cook] don't mean anything to me. I won't have a relationship with them. They live in a different world.
"I stayed in December because of my relationship with the supporters. They respect me. The fans always tell me to stay. I have no problem with them - they are always very respectful."
Another reason for Tevez reportedly wanting to return home is to be with his daughters and his family as it is well known that they live in Buenos Aires, missing out on a lot of time with their father.
It is a situation that is often brought up whenever the Argentine is linked with a move away from England and he admits that it is still very hard to live without his family.
He continued: "Last December, I really thought about quitting football - I was serious.
"Unless you have children you will never understand what it's like to be away from them.
"They are growing up so fast, thousands of miles away, and I'm not there to see it.
"It's hard to come home after a game to an empty house, when I'm upset or nervous, to be without them.
"When Katia injured her hand in February, I wasn't around to protect them. Those are the moments when I realise how much my family means to me.
"That's why I will be done with Europe in three years. It's a huge effort mentally to do it but, at 31, I will be finished in Europe.
"The pressure isn't the issue but I miss my family and my home life in Argentina too much to be away from them."
not to be outdone the Express has an EXCLUSIVE of their own ... 2+2=?
Manchester City are ready to launch a £40million bid for Tottenham’s Gareth Bale
MANCHESTER CITY are ready to launch a £40million British transfer record bid for Tottenham’s Gareth Bale.
Following a recent high-powered meeting in Abu Dhabi, involving chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO Garry Cook, football administrator Brian Marwood and manager Roberto Mancini, the go-ahead was given to add the fi nal expensive pieces of what City hope will be a Premier League title-winning jigsaw.
Mancini has persuaded the City money men that more quality is vital if the FA Cup winners are going to take the next step, having also qualifi ed for the Champions League.
That means attempting to bring in Tottenham’s Bale, the PFA’s Player of the Year, in addition to making Everton an offer they can’t refuse for left-back Leighton Baines.
Spurs have told interested clubs that it would take a sensational bid to make them part with Welsh fl ier Bale. But Mancini has been given the green light to do just that and City are prepared to go up to £40m for the former Southampton player – smashing the British record they created when they signed Robinho for £32.5m from Real Madrid.
Spurs would fi nd an offer of that magnitude hard to resist – something City are well aware of.
They are also relying on hard cash doing the business as they move in on Everton’s Baines with an offer of around £20m plus Wayne Bridge, who spent the latter half of the season on loan at relegated West Ham.
Liverpool Plan Audacious Move to Sign Manchester City Winger
Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish keen on England international Adam Johnson
Liverpool are reportedly interested in Man City winger Adam Johnson and will look to make an offer for the England international this summer. The former Middlesbrough wide man has had an up and down time at Eastlands and spent much of last season on the bench and has voiced his concern at lack of regular first team football and has locked horns with Roberto Mancini on the matter.
Dalglish is apparently keen to bring in natural wide options as he looks to bring in more creativity and players who can help provide ammunition for the club’s new strike pairing of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez. The Merseyside outfit have been strongly linked with a number of wingers with Aston Villa pair Stewart Downing and Ashley Young also apparent Anfield targets.
Johnson arrived at Man City on the 1st of February 2010 and whilst he made an immediate impact in his first season the Sunderland born winger made more appearances from the bench last term than starts and could be tempted by a move away from the City of Manchester Stadium in search of regular first team football.
Dalglish will however find it tough to persuade a player to leave a club who has just achieved qualification for the Champions League but if Johnson felt that he wasn’t a firm part of Mancini’s first team plans then the 23 year old may feel the time right to make a move.
Liverpool have attempted to fill the wide roles with players with players who are not really out and out wingers with the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Maxi, Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic being used last season.
With most of the papers on a witch hunt after Rooney swor into a camera lens, expext the fall out to be worse for Joe Hart ...
What was that, Joe? Hart appears to swear at cameraman after England howlers
England goalkeeper Joe Hart appeared to allow the pressure to get to him after his two first-half blunders at Wembley.
The 24-year-old, at fault for both Swiss goals, was chased by an ITV cameraman as he left the field at half time.
Hart turned to the camera and appeared to mouth: ‘P**s off’.
The incident followed Wayne Rooney’s outburst at Sky TV cameras following his hat-trick at West Ham, for which the Manchester United striker received a two match ban.
A Football Association spokesman refused to comment.
OTHER BOLLOX
Manchester United are keen on £10m-rated Basle and Switzerland teenager Xherdan Shaqiri. Caught Offside
Chelsea are prepared to accept any serious offer for striker Didier Drogba. Footybunker.com
Sochaux's Algerian midfielder Ryad Boudebouz is being targeted by Liverpool and Newcastle. Metro
Roma defender Jeremy Menez has been offered to Arsenal as part of a swap deal including Gael Clichy. Metro
Everton are keen on both Darron Gibson of Manchester United and Marc Albrighton of Aston Villa. Footybunker.com
New West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has been told he must generate the majority of his funds for bringing in new players this season by selling current squad members. (Observer)
Tottenham are ready to offer Joe Cole a way out of his disastrous move to Liverpool last summer. Mail on Sunday
Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra has informed the club he will not be at Ibrox next season after invoking an obscure Fifa contractual ruling. Mail on Sunday
Benfica defender Fabio Coentrao, who was attracting the interest of Manchester United and Liverpool, says Real Madrid would be the only club for which he would be willing to leave Benfica. (Sunday Express)
Defender Stephen Warnock is likely to leave Aston Villa despite the departure of manager Gerard Houllier, who froze him out of first-team selection. News of the World
Chelsea want Guus Hiddink and Mark Hughes to form a managerial partnership and are in advanced talks to bring the duo to Stamford Bridge. Mail on Sunday
Former Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard has contacted Aston Villa to let them know of his interest in the vacant manager's job. Sunday Times
Tottenham striker Peter Crouch will not make himself available to play for England while Fabio Capello is coach because he felt humiliated by being left out against Switzerland. Mail on Sunday
FA chief David Bernstein says he would have "let English football down" had he not raised objections to Sepp Blatter's unopposed re-election as Fifa chief. Mail on Sunday
Former Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is poised to take the vacant Cardiff job. (Sunday Express)
Newcastle have stopped talks with captain Kevin Nolan over a new contract so he could run down the remaining two years of his deal and leave for free. News of the World
Ipswich defender Damien Delaney has blamed his ex-manager Roy Keane after he was caught speeding. Sunday Mirror
