Carlos Tevez has returned to Buenos Aires despite not being called up for international duty. But on his arrival he spoke of how he has fallen back in love with playing for Manchester City.
Tevez's trip home might have rang alarm bells in previous seasons but this time he said: "I am focused on my club and on the Premier League and the Champions League. This is what I wanted – to have this hunger for success back again.
"The disagreement with Roberto [Mancini] has ended up being good for me because it has helped give me back this hunger. Before, I was playing just to attract the attention of the national team manager, now I'm playing for the enjoyment and because I have that desire to win things.
"The national team is not my priority. I am concentrating on my club. I have had my first good pre-season in four or five years and I feel good."
Tevez's City team-mate Sergio Aguero has been included in Alejandro Sabella's squad to face Paraguay and Peru, despite a knee injury picked up against Southampton last month. Aguero said: "Three days ago I started running and now I am going to consult the doctor here. I still have some pain but we will see how it develops."
He confirmed he had the blessing of manager Mancini after putting his mind at rest. "I explained to the manager that I would see the national team medical staff and he was satisfied with that. I am going to be well looked after."
Asked about Tevez not being in the Argentina squad despite his excellent start to the season, Aguero said: "He is playing very well, looking quick and strong. If he keeps playing that way, Sabella will be looking at him."
Looking ahead to City's first game in the Champions League away to Real Madrid, Aguero said: "Every team in the group is a big team but that only serves to motivate us more. I could never beat Real Madrid with Atletico Madrid so, hopefully, I can change that with City." Tevez added: "Real will be a very difficult rival but they are great games to play in and even more so because of the group we are in. Cristiano [Ronaldo] is a former team-mate and he is playing as well as ever."
Toure heading for Galatasaray
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure was last night in discussions with Galatasaray over a proposed move before the Turkish transfer deadline closes today.
Toure has slipped further out of contention at City following the arrival last Friday of Matija Nastasic from Fiorentina – a deal which saw Stefan Savic move the opposite way. A switch to Istanbul would bring the prospect of a reunion with Toure's former Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Eboue. Indedpendent
Manchester City do not fear anybody in the Champions League, claims Dzeko
The Bosnia international is unhappy that the Premier League champions have been drawn into the 'group of death' again but believes they are capable of qualifying from Group D
The Premier League champions have been drawn alongside three other title holders in the shape of Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax in Group D this season after facing Bayern munich and Napoli last term.
But the Bosnia international is confident that Robert Mancini's side can progress to the knock-out rounds after being eliminated at the group phase last year.
He told SportSport: "We were in the group of death last season and now we are in it again."
"The group will be great to watch, but not so great to play in. But we know what we are capable of and we don't fear anybody.
"I believe it will be a tight race and it will be interesting to see who will go to the next round.
The former Wolfsburg striker believes that Roberto Mancini's side could go on to win the competition if they qualify from the group, but admits Real Madrid are obvious favourites to go through.
He added: "Whoever finishes first and second in the group will be big favourites to win the competition. I hope we don't make the same mistakes as last season.
"Who are the favourites? Real Madrid, of course.
"I can't wait for the opening match at Santiago Bernabeu.
"That will be a great spectacle and I hope that we can show in Madrid what we are capable of and how strong we are."
PLEASE BE BIG TIME BOLLOX
Cristiano Ronaldo alerts Man City after admitting sadness at Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo is considering a sensational exit from Real Madrid because he is unhappy at the Bernabeu, with Manchester City ready to pounce for the star.
The Portuguese superstar, who scored 46 goals last season as Madrid won La Liga, revealed over the weekend he is unhappy at the Santiago Bernabeu and is now said to be seeking an exit.
It is understood Ronaldo has had several rows with staff behind-the-scenes, and they held a meeting on Saturday evening to try to clear the air - but it did little to ease tensions.
The 27-year-old met with Madrid president Florentino Perez, director Jose Angel Sanchez and his agent Jorge Mendes, where he reportedly told the club he wants out unless a resolution can be found quickly.
Ronaldo followed it up by scoring two goals in Real's 3-0 win over Granada less than 24 hours later, but he spoke afterwards to admit his frustration at the current circumstances after refusing to celebrate either goal.
'I'm sad - when I don't celebrate goals it's because I'm not happy,' Ronaldo revealed.
'It's a professional thing. Real Madrid know why I'm not happy.'
The former Manchester United ace refused to explain further, but divisions within the squad and the club's failure to reward his super season last term with a new contract are thought to be the main issues.
That has prompted mass speculation over Ronaldo's future, with suggestions in Spain that Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners have already asked to be kept informed of developments, and are preparing a bid to lure him back to the Premier League.
The transfer, should it happen, would easily be the biggest in world football, eclipsing the previous record when Ronaldo moved to Madrid in 2009 for a whopping £80m.
Ronaldo currently has three years left on his Madrid contract. Metro
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Arsenal sent scouts to watch Manchester United target Liam Moore in action for Leicester last weekend. The versatile 19-year-old, who is comfortable at centre-back, right-back or in midfield, has impressed in the Championship this season. Metro
Liverpool do not intend to sign former player Michael Owen despite the current dearth of strikers at the club, and the 32-year-old is instead expected to sign a two-year, £1.5m-per-season contract with Stoke.
West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie, 31, has admitted he thought about leaving the Hawthorns in the summer. Birmingham Mail
West Ham want to sign former Sunderland centre-back John Mensah, 29, on a free transfer following French side Lyon's decision not to renew his contract. Daily Star
Fernando Torres, 28, has promised Chelsea "a magic season" now he is the club's first choice striker following the exit of Didier Drogba. Daily Mirror
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said midfielder Jack Wilshere, 20, should be fit to start games again "in a month" after being injured for more than a year. The Independent
Zenit St Petersburg's new striker Hulk, 26, declined to show fair play in his final appearance for Porto on Saturday. He refused to play the ball back to the opposition after an injury, and instead opted to run through their unsuspecting defence and try his luck at goal. Metro
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Dimitar Berbatov criticises Man Utd's Alex Ferguson
Dimitar Berbatov has criticised Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson for the way he was treated during his final season at the club.
The striker, 31, made only 12 Premier League appearances for United in 2011-12 and moved to Fulham last week.
"I said goodbye to the people who deserve it, I couldn't say goodbye to Ferguson," said the Bulgarian.
"I know he's the boss but he has lost, to some extent, my respect because of the way he treated me."
Berbatov moved to Old Trafford from Tottenham for £30.75m in 2008 and was the Premier League's top scorer in 2010-11.
But he was left out of United's squad for the 2011 Champions League final against Barcelona and then featured only fleetingly last season.
"I don't think I deserved such treatment at United, not playing in the last year," he told reporters in Sofia.
"I went probably 15 times to ask the coach if he needed me. Every time I was told that I'm an important player and should not leave but then again I was not in the team. Maybe I should have gone when he left me out of the squad for the Champions League final."
The summer arrivals of Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa pushed Berbatov further down the pecking order, with Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck already preferred up front.
Berbatov believes he fell out of favour because Ferguson wanted to play with a different style.
"He tried to explain to me that the team will be using a more direct style, with more speed," said the striker. "But I've never been among the fastest players. I like to hold the ball, this is my style.
"I found it hard to accept his decision, I still have my dignity. I scored many goals, I won the league two times and I was the league top scorer, so it's not bad.
"I'll have no problems playing against United as this already happened in my career. But there's no point to look back again."
Berbatov's move to Fulham, for a reported £5m, was not without controversy, after he angered Fiorentina by turning down the chance to join them and then rejected a move to Juventus.
He explained: "I've never personally told them: 'Yes, I'll play for you'. It's not my problem that someone is disappointed. After all, I choose where to play and be happy."
Berbatov's agent Emil Danchev also revealed that Tottenham had made a last-ditch attempt to re-sign their former player.
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