Striker faces hearing after returning home to Argentina • Tevez says he tried to contact Roberto Mancini
Manchester City's relationship with Carlos Tevez has deteriorated to the point that the club are not convinced the striker will attend his own disciplinary hearing on Monday, to explain why he flew to Argentina last week without permission.
Tevez has been summoned to the hearing, at which he will face a club-record fine if he fails to convince City he had sufficient grounds to return to Buenos Aires during the international break, when he was under orders to stay in Manchester and work on his fitness. However, City are not taking anything for granted and have held in-house discussions involving the club's lawyers, in case their former captain fails to show.
That possibility remains clear, such is the fracture in the relationship between club and player. City have decided not to make any comment until they know how far the Argentinian is going to take his latest dispute. Tevez's advisers would not confirm whether or not he had made plans to fly back.
Tevez's defence is that he tried on numerous occasions to contact the City manager, Roberto Mancini, before abandoning his training regime and flying to Argentina, where he told reporters on his arrival that he wanted "a rest".
City's version of events is markedly different and the club have compiled a dossier of evidence that indicates Tevez was given explicit instructions to remain in Manchester. For the striker to have apparently ignored those wishes puts him in danger of the maximum three-week fine permissible under Professional Footballers' Association guidelines, which would be around £750,000.
The maximum is usually two weeks but is extended because Tevez has recently been fined and disciplined because of his non-appearance against Bayern Munich, when City lost 2-0 in the Champions League in September. An incensed Mancini then described him as "finished". Guardian
Manchester City could sue Carlos Tevez for compensation if they forfeit a potential transfer fee of up to £50m by having to terminate his contract on grounds of gross misconduct. Times
http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/11/13/ ... lva/52635/
Manchester United to rival City for Christian Eriksen
Ajax's teenage sensation Christian Eriksen has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United, putting the Red Devils in direct competition with neighbours City.
Manchester City and Barcelona have both been strongly linked with the 19-year-old, but it now seems United are leading the race for his signature.
Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson is apparently ready to bid more than £20million to land Eriksen, who he believes could fill the gap left by the retirement of Paul Scholes.
A source told the Daily Star Sunday: 'United are hot on him. Trust me, they want him and £20million is the price being bandied around.
Yet ironically both Chelsea and Spurs turned him down several years ago because they thought he was too small. He has since turned into a world-class player.'
Eriksen will be familiar to British football fans following his outstanding performance for Denmark in a friendly against England last season and goal against Scotland in August.
Roberto Mancini reckons England’s young squad can win Euro 2012.
The Manchester City manager was speaking while visiting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as a guest of Ferrari.
And after England’s impressive display against Spain at Wembley on Saturday, Mancini is convinced Fabio Capello’s team can go all the way.
“It is a good place for England to build from,” he said. “They are a good team. In my opinion they can win the European Championship. Why not ?
“Capello is a good manager and he has a good team, and he can also put the other young players in.
“Spain are the best team in Europe and maybe the world, so it is not easy to beat them.
“He [Capello] has another six months to prepare very well for the Euros and I think they have a chance.”
Mancini enjoyed the GP and added. “I need this break because after this we don’t have any others until the end of the season.”
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