Carlos Tevez

[Socrates 7964]

[Socrates 7964]

Juve want Tevez and Kolarov

May 17, 2013

Juventus are reportedly setting their sights on Manchester City duo Carlos Tevez and Aleksandar Kolarov.

The Bianconeri are eager to improve their squad over the summer to become more competitive in Europe after a second consecutive Scudetto.

According to Sport Mediaset, their first target for ‘top player’ in attack is now Tevez, surpassing Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid and Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic.

This is because his contract expires next summer and he could be available at a fairly small price-tag.

It is certainly not the first time that Tevez has been linked with a move to Italy, though until now he has always patched up his differences with Manchester City.

Juve are also thought to be tracking one of his teammates at Eastlands, as Kolarov would be a valid option for the left wing.

The Corriere dello Sport claims Kolarov has already told City directors he is unhappy and would like a move away from the club.

The Serbian is no stranger to Serie A, having arrived in Manchester from Lazio, and Juventus hope to take him for around €10m.

[Socrates 7964]

Tevez agent flies in for Juve

May 18, 2013

It’s claimed Manchester City star Carlos Tevez has turned down Monaco and his agent is in Italy for talks with Juventus.

The Argentine seems set to leave the Premier League at the end of the season, as his contract expires in 2014, and is looking to keep his €10m per season wages.

He had been in talks with newly-promoted French club Monaco, who have Claudio Ranieri on the bench, but new reports suggest the deal fell through.

According to La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport, Tevez’s agent Adrian Rouco is already in Italy to discuss a move with Juventus.

The Bianconeri would propose a three-year contract worth a total €18m plus performance-related bonuses.

He would be the ‘top player’ they are looking for to reinforce the attack and had already been heavily linked with a move to Serie A last year.

Manchester City have requested Arturo Vidal as part of the Tevez deal, but Juve have made it clear the Chilean is absolutely not for sale.

[Socrates 7964]

Juventus director hints at Tevez move

Beppe Marotta admits that the Manchester City star would be easier to sign than
compatriot Gonzalo Higuain due to the fact that the 29-year-old's contract expires next summer.

May 18, 2013

Juventus director Beppe Marotta has suggested that contact has been made with Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez's agent as he outlined the Italian champion's intentions to "reinforce our offensive line".

The Argentine forward has scored 11 goals in 33 Premier league games this season but has been strongly linked with a move away amidst serious interest from clubs worldwide, with ambitious French side Monaco currently chasing the striker's signature.

Marotta heavily insinsuated that a move for the Argentine could be imminent as he admitted that Tevez would be easier to buy than compratiot and Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain due to the former's soon-to-be expired contract.

"Tevez or Higuain? It could be easier to buy Tevez, only for the reason that Carlitos has only one year left of his contract," he told Sky Sports 24.

"We haven't talked with City, but sometimes we talk with agents of players. For the next season we want to reinforce our offensive line."

[Socrates 7964]

Juve bid Melo and €5m for Tevez

May 29, 2013

Juventus could use Felipe Melo as part of the deal to sign Carlos Tevez from Manchester City.

The Bianconeri have stated they want a new centre-forward and negotiations are also on-going with Real Madrid for Gonzalo Higuain.

According to Leggo newspaper, Juve have suddenly moved closer to capturing Tevez after discovering they own a player City would like.

Felipe Melo has spent the last two seasons on loan with Galatasaray, but the Turkish side does not want to buy him outright.

Juventus could therefore add the Brazilian midfielder into the package deal with €5m to take Tevez from Manchester City.

This would solve two problems in one fell swoop for the Turin giants, who are otherwise struggling to place Melo.

[Socrates 7964]

Do Juventus have Tevez deal?

Jun 5, 2013

Sport Mediaset are claiming that Juventus have agreed personal terms with Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez.

The Argentine is one of three forwards being strongly linked with the Old Lady, alongside Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain and Stevan Jovetic of Fiorentina.

The report suggests that director general Beppe Marotta has convinced the former West Ham and Manchester United player to accept a switch to Turin.

Tevez initially wanted an annual salary of €8m, but it is understood that a compromise has been reached.

Marotta will now, apparently, conclude a deal with the Premiership side for a forward who is still only 29-years-old.

Tevez, also linked with Monaco, is available for transfer as his contract with City is set to expire in June 2014.

The South American has netted 74 goals in 148 games for his current club.

If Juve really do have a deal for Tevez then they are expected to end their pursuit for Higuain in favour of signing Jovetic.

[Socrates 7964]

Bets stopped on Tevez to Juve

Jun 7, 2013

Reports continue to build that Juventus have agreed an £8m deal with Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez.

The Argentine international is on the last season of his contract with City and over the past few days several Italian sources have suggested talks are at an advanced stage.

Sport Mediaset claimed on Wednesday that Juve had agreed personal terms with the 29-year-old and now certain bookmakers have stopped taking bets on the transfer.

It’s believed Tevez has agreed to a four-year contract with wages that will increase with each campaign.

However, the Daily Mail insists Liverpool are now showing an interest in the well-travelled forward.

[Socrates 7964]

Higuain-Arsenal, Tevez-Juve?

Jun 7, 2013

Juventus are closer than ever to Carlos Tevez, especially amid reports Arsenal have agreed a deal with Gonzalo Higuain.

The Bianconeri had made it clear they had two primary transfer targets to join Fernando Llorente in attack next season.

The first was Real Madrid hitman Higuain, who confirmed he is set to leave the Bernabeu after seven years.

However, a report in the Daily Mirror today claims Arsene Wenger already met with his father – who acts as his agent – in Paris to agree personal terms.

“Arsenal? They would suit me. I’m still young and I have goals [still in me],” he is quoted as saying.

His father Jorge was also interviewed by the Daily Mirror. “Madrid will want to sell. Juventus or Arsenal? I guess he has spoken with them.

“The clubs first have to talk to Madrid in direct negotiation. Gonzalo currently has three years left on his contract,” revealed Jorge.

The 25-year-old would be available for €22m, which is likely to be above Juve’s preferred price-range, with current wages worth £130,000 per week.

It pushes the Turin giants closer to Tevez, as some bookmakers have gone so far as to stop taking bets on the Manchester City forward joining Juve.

Higuain was sent off last night against Colombia after a brawl with Napoli's Juan Camilo Zuniga.

[Socrates 7964]

Ultimate summer transfer targets: Carlos Tevez

Liverpool have entered the race to sign the ever-controversial striker from Manchester City
this summer, with Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus also targeting the Argentine.

Jun 7, 2013

By Jonathan Birchall

If you momentarily put to one side the on-field sniping at Roberto Mancini, the driving disqualification, the 250 hours community service order, the talk of wanting to return to Boca Juniors, the talk of moving to Paris Saint-Germain and the talk of moving to Monaco, Carlos Tevez, with 17 goals in 39 games, has looked quite the player for Manchester City this season.

Perhaps Liverpool, who are considering a €8.2 million move for the 29-year-old this summer, are the latest club willing to turn a convenient blind eye to the indiscretions. City aren't. They want rid of Tevez this summer.

But with a year remaining on his €233,000-a-week contract - almost double that of any potential deal from the Anfield side - Tevez somehow again holds the aces over another club at which his behaviour has been, at best, jaw-gapingly, head-shakingly brazen. The common consensus at both City and beyond is that it has been far, far worse than that.

Not for the first time, Tevez and his representative Kia Joorabchian have left City officials shifting in their seats and scratching their heads. Their options switch between offering the 29-year-old a new contract on similar terms to his current eye-watering deal, accepting a bid for far less than the roughly €28m they paid for him in 2009, or do nothing and lose the forward for no fee at all next summer.

And just as was the case on the Allianz Arena bench to which he seemed so oddly attached in September 2011, Tevez is happy to sit still as chaos ensues around him.

One more year of €57 steaks at his favourite Manchester restaurant Gaucho, the occasional round of golf with wife Vanessa, no more Mancini to boss him around at the day job and a €11.1m salary under a fellow Spanish-speaker in Manuel Pellegrini would be tolerable to a man who has at times acted as if the word simply doesn’t fall under his vocabulary.

Monaco could yet provide a solution to keep all parties happy, after already securing the services of Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Ricardo Carvalho, bankrolled by the soon-to-be Ligue 1 outfit’s billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlev. Ever the extrovert, Tevez admitted in May that he would “really like” a project like Monaco.

Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain remain an “interesting option” for the player whom many would say is lucky to even still be on City’s payroll after spending over three months of the 2011-12 season on gardening leave in Buenos Aires, in which he spent more time on his homeland’s golf courses than their football pitches.

THE VIEW FROM FRANCE
HOCINE HARZOUNE, GOAL FRANCE

PSG need a great striker to team him up with Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the other attackers in the squad have failed to deliver. With both Ezequiel Lavezzi and Kevin Gameiro facing the exit door.

After being utterly dependent on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the club know they need to add depth. Tevez could be the perfect solution.

As for Monaco, the Ligue 2 champions remain intent on making a statement before the start of next season. Tevez is a big enough name to do that, but neither club can afford to entertain the press with rows and scandals between managers and players like Man City did with Tevez and Mancini, as both try to build their image.

Juventus, well aware of the 29-year-old’s delicate contractual situation, have admitted to undergoing informal talks with Tevez’s representatives in recent months, though are said to favour a move for the striker’s compatriot and Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain.

Meanwhile, City sporting director Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano are mindful that they must amass around €47m from player sales and wage bill savings if they are to secure their ideal €140m-rated shortlist of six summer targets, headed by the man they see as Tevez’s ideal replacement in Edinson Cavani.

€29.5m new boy Fernandinho and Jesus Navas, who is set to be confirmed as a City player this week, have been targeted alongside, Isco, Thiago Alcantara, Diego Novaretti and Cavani by Etihad Stadium officials ahead of the transfer window, with the likes of Edin Dzeko, Javi Garcia and Samir Nasri all being made available to leave the club in the next few months.

But Tevez, who is impressed by the arrival of Pellegrini from Malaga, is happy to stay in self-imposed - and let’s not forget lucrative - limbo at City, with Soriano ready to meet with the striker and Joorabchian in the coming weeks to discuss a new deal to keep him at the club and up his value in the face of potential bidders.
It is an unhappy, ludicrous marriage of convenience.

Tevez doesn’t like Manchester, and Manchester is proving increasingly less fond of him, yet both he and City are set to come together to ensure he remains a valuable asset for his employers, as well as one of the game's best-paid players. You can't help but wonder if he really even cares anymore.

So welcome to Manchester and welcome to the world of Carlos Tevez. Quite the player. Quite the problem.

[Socrates 7964]

Veron: Higuain or Tevez could make the difference for Juventus

The former Argentina international feels both of his compatriots could help
the Serie A giants close the gap with the European top.

Jun 8, 2013

Juan Sebastian Veron believes that Juventus could challenge for the Champions League next season if they strengthen their team with Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain or Manchester City's Carlos Tevez this summer.

The Serie A champions are keen to add a high-profile striker to their squad ahead of the 2013-14 campaign and Veron has advised the Turin giants to sign one of his compatriots.

"Juventus are already an excellent team, but both Higuain and Tevez are the kind of player they are looking for. They have worn the jerseys of some big teams and have made the difference in important games," Veron told Tuttosport.

"They are part of a small group of strikers who can make the difference all by themselves. I think Juventus could win the Champions League if they had a player like Tevez or Higuain.

"Just look at the teams that made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League. Bayern have [Arjen] Robben and [Franck] Ribery, Dortmund have [Robert] Lewandowski and [Mario] Gotze, Barcelona have [Lionel] Messi and [Andres] Iniesta, while Madrid have players like [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Higuain.

"Juventus have already given a good account of themselves in Europe this season and things can only get better with Higuain or Tevez."

Higuain, 25, has a contract with Madrid until June 2016, but recently stated that he wants to leave the Spanish giants this summer, while Tevez is widely expected to leave City ahead of the new campaign with a contract that runs out in 2014.

[Socrates 7964]

Juve reject Tevez 'war' with Milan

Jun 13, 2012

Milan seem closer to Carlos Tevez, as Juventus reportedly insist they won’t get into a bidding war for the Manchester City star.

The striker’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, was photographed in Milan today in a meeting with Rossoneri Vice-President Adriano Galliani.

“It was a meeting between old friends,” admitted Galliani to the media.

Sport Mediaset had claimed Juventus directors Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici had also met with Joorabchian earlier today.

However, Sky Sport Italia suggest Juve did not meet anyone and are in fact irritated at Milan’s intrusion.

Transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio revealed Bianconeri sources had told him “we won’t take part in a bidding war.”

If Milan are to sign Tevez for around €10m, then it’s likely they will use the money from Robinho’s sale to Santos.

[Socrates 7964]

AC Milan and Juventus to fight over Manchester City striker

Jun 19, 2012

AC Milan and Juventus are locked in a bidding war to sign Carlos Tevez from Manchester City.

The Argentinian has long been linked with a move to Italy, and has been linked with Juventus and Milan heavily this summer.

Juventus are still on the look-out for a forward, while Milan view Tevez as a player who would be a viable replacement for Robinho.

Tuttosport report that Juventus want to pay €12m for the City forward over the course of three years, and that Juve director Beppe Marotta wants to insert Mirko Vucinic in the deal to further reduce the cost.

Milannews.it have reported that the Rossoneri have already struck a deal with Tevez and his agent to pay the striker €5.5m a year for three years, but will need to offload a player before they can pay for Tevez. It is thought that Robinho is that player, who is in negotiations with Santos regarding a return to Brazil.

[Socrates 7964]

Milan drop Tevez for Honda

Jun 23, 2012

It’s reported Milan cooled their interest in Carlos Tevez because they’re in talks for CSKA Moscow and Japan star Keisuke Honda.

There is a limit on the number of non-EU players Serie A sides can bring into the country each year, so the Rossoneri have only one more slot left after signing Colombian defender Jherson Vergara.

The plan had been to sign Tevez from Manchester City, but their interest has notably cooled over the last few days, opening the door for Juventus to resume their chase.

According to Sport Mediaset, the reason is Milan are instead looking at Japan international Honda, who so impressed in the 4-3 Confederations Cup defeat to Italy.

Honda would tick every box for the Diavolo, as he is out of contract with CSKA Moscow on December 31 and therefore available at a cut-price fee.

He would also bring with him numerous sponsorship opportunities from Japan, where he has a huge fanbase.

It is not the first time Honda has been linked with a Serie A move, as he was also in negotiations with Lazio last summer.

[Socrates 7964]

Juventus fly out for Tevez

Jun 25, 2012

Juventus officials will fly to England on Tuesday for talks with Manchester City regarding their bid for Carlos Tevez, reports the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport.

The Argentine is available for transfer given that his contract expires in 2014 and Juve are looking to strengthen their attacking options for next season.

Juve are thought to have already agreed personal terms with the 29-year-old, who will be handed a three-year deal worth €5.5m, plus bonuses, a season.

An agreement between the two clubs, however, is still missing. The Bianconeri are ready to offer €12m, but the Manchester outfit are looking for €15m.

Milan are also interested in the South American who they initially targeted in January 2012, only for the deal to fall through.

However, Diavolo official Adriano Galliani has claimed that his outfit don’t presently have the room for the striker.

“We are not interested in Tevez at this moment in time,” he stated. “We can’t do anything given that we already have seven attackers in our squad.”

[Socrates 7964]

Juventus ready Tevez summer swoop

The Italian champions will open talks with City after holding fresh discussions
with the player's representatives as the race hots up to sign the Argentina international.

Jun 25, 2013

By Wayne Veysey

Juventus will step up their bid to sign Carlos Tevez this week as Real Madrid and AC Milan continue to monitor the Manchester City striker.

The Serie A champions are set to begin formal talks with City ahead of a concerted move for the Argentine.

It is understood that Juventus have held fresh talks with Tevez's representatives in recent days and are close to agreeing personal terms with the 29-year-old.

Negotiations have not yet taken place on a fee for the Argentina international and Bianconeri officials are set to fly to the north west to iron out a deal and ward off interest from other clubs.

Milan have long held an interest in Tevez and could join City at the negotiating table if they complete the sale of Robinho back to Brazil, with CEO Adriano Galliani stressing the need to sell before buying.

Incoming Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is also a big admirer of Tevez and is believed to have told his new club that he would welcome the player at the Santiago Bernabeu next season.

Los Blancos, however, have placed Isco, Edinson Cavani and Gareth Bale at the top of their summer wish list.

Tevez has agitated for a move during much of his four-year spell at the Etihad Stadium and, with his contract expiring in 12 months' time, City could be ready to off-load him in the knowledge that he could walk away for free in 2014.

Liverpool had discussed the possibility of a move for the former Manchester United striker earlier in the summer before pursuing other targets, while Monaco's interest has diminished after landing Radamel Falcao.

Juventus have agreed personal terms with Gonzalo Higuain but have baulked at his €23 million-plus asking price and are set to lose out to Arsenal in the chase for Real Madrid striker.

Higuain's fellow Argentine, Tevez, is four years older and his fee is unlikely to be much beyond €11m.

City are also willing to listen to offers for Edin Dzeko, and had offered him in part-exchange for Edinson Cavani. However, after failing to meet Napoli's asking price for the Uruguayan, the Premier League club might only be prepared to sell one of Dzeko and Tevez, not both.

[Socrates 7964]

Manchester City agree fee with Juventus for Tevez

The controversial Argentine looks to be close to ending his stay at the Etihad Stadium
and moving to Italy with the Serie A champions favourites for his signature.

Jun 25, 2013

Manchester City have agreed a fee with Juventus for striker Carlos Tevez.

The Serie A champions will pay €11.8 million for the Argentine forward with an extra €6m to be paid if Juventus win the league and reach the Champions League semi-finals next season.

As revealed by Goal, Juventus have stepped up their efforts to sign the former Manchester United man after beginning formal talks with Manchester City over a potential move.

Real Madrid and AC Milan are also both monitoring the situation and City think Massimiliano Allegri's men may well counter with an offer of their own.

However, while Milan have long held an interest in Tevez they have admitted they may need to sell before they can buy this summer.

Juventus, meanwhile, have also agreed terms with Gonzalo Higuain but look set to miss out on the Real Madrid man after Arsenal officials flew to Madrid to finalise a deal.

Tevez has endured a controversial time at Manchester City, since moving from rivals United in 2009.

Despite helping the club win both the Premier League and the FA Cup during his stay at the Etihad, the striker also spent five months out of the team after clashing with Roberto Mancini during a Champions League match against Bayern Munich.

The striker eventually returned to action for City and was the club's joint top goalscorer last season, with Sergio Aguero, scoring 17 goals from 47 appearances.

[Socrates 7964]

Juve close on £10m Tevez move

Jun 25, 2012

There are reports Juventus are closing on a €12m (£10m) deal for Carlos Tevez during crunch negotiations with Manchester City today.

Directors Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici flew in to England today for crucial talks with the Eastlands side.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Juve have offered €10m (approximately £8.5m) and Manchester City are still holding out for €15m (£12.7m).

However, they are whittling down the difference and could eventually reach an agreement for a transfer worth €12m (£10m).

The Bianconeri stepped up after Milan pulled out of negotiations, as Adriano Galliani warned they cannot sign any other strikers until they have sold Robinho.

[Socrates 7964]

Report: Juventus agree Tevez deal

Jun 25, 2012

Several Italian news sources are reporting Juventus agreed a deal with Manchester City for Carlos Tevez worth £10m.

The story had already emerged earlier this evening that directors Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici were getting close to an agreement after flying in to England.

According to several sources in Italy, including Sky Sport Italia, Tuttosport and the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport, a deal has been reached.

Juve will pay €9m plus €3m in performance-related bonuses, taking the total to €12m - £10m.

The Argentine striker is set to sign a three-year contract worth €5.5m per season and Sky Sports UK claim he will undergo a medical in Turin on Wednesday.

[Socrates 7964]

Mancini: 'Tevez great for Juve'

Jun 25, 2012

Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says Carlos Tevez “will certainly do well at Juventus.”

This evening there are reports in Italy, England and Argentina that a deal has been struck with City for the striker worth £10m.

He is thought to be already travelling towards Italy so that he can undergo a medical in Turin on Wednesday and sign the three-year contract worth €5.5m per season.

“He is an extraordinary player, capable, with great technique and talent,” his former manager Mancini told TuttoJuve.com.

“He will certainly do well at Juventus. I can’t wait to see him in action in Italy.”

The pair famously clashed at Manchester City when Tevez refused to come off the bench against Bayern Munich in a September 2011 Champions League match.

The Argentine was repeatedly fined for breach of contract, which included flying back home without permission.

In April 2013 Tevez was sentenced to 250 hours community service, a six-month driving ban and a fine for driving while disqualified and without insurance.

[Socrates 7964]

Tevez lands for Juventus medical

Jun 26, 2012

Carlos Tevez has touched down on Italian soil ahead of his transfer from Manchester City to Juventus.

The two clubs finalised a €12m deal last night and the Argentine has already arrived on the peninsula to complete the move.

The Argentine landed at Milan’s Malpensa airport at 15.17 local time. He will now undergo his medical examination in Turin on Thursday.

The striker, 29, is expected to put pen to paper on a three-year contract in Turin worth €5.5m a season after tax.

[Socrates 7964]

Marotta hails Tevez enthusiasm

Jun 26, 2012

“This enthusiasm is great for the player and the team,” said Juventus chief Beppe Marotta as Carlos Tevez was mobbed by fans.

The Manchester City striker touched down at Malpensa Airport in Milan this afternoon and hundreds of fans were there waiting for him.

“This enthusiasm is exactly what we wanted, as it’s great for the player and the team,” director general Marotta told La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport.

“It really is a great signing.”

The Argentine is now travelling by car to Turin for a medical so he can complete the €12m (£10m) transfer and sign a three-year contract worth €5.5m per season.

Tevez waved to fans at the airport and they placed a Juventus scarf around his neck.

There was so much passion that police and the Juve Press officer pulled Tevez back into Terminal 1, so the car came round and picked him up on the runway instead.

He is expected to arrive in Turin at around 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT). It is reported Tevez will wear the Number 10 jersey last held by Alessandro Del Piero.

[Socrates 7964]

Marchisio welcomes Tevez with open arms

The Italy international has welcomed the expected signing of the flamboyant
attacker as he feels the forward would be a valuable addition.

Jun 26, 2013

Claudio Marchisio has applauded the imminent arrival of Carlos Tevez at Juventus and has stressed that the Manchester City attacker is more than welcome at the Serie A champions.

The Turin giants agreed terms with City over a transfer fee on Tuesday evening and are widely expected to complete the €11.8 million signing of the 29-year-old in the upcoming days, much to the satisfaction of Marchisio.

"I have already said it before and I repeat that great champions [like Tevez] are always more than welcome at Juventus," the Italy international was quoted as saying by Tuttosport.

However, the midfielder added that the former Manchester United striker must give his all for the club if he is to succeed and will have to focus solely on his football.

"It's crucial that he arrives here with the right motivation and the desire to give everything for the Juventus shirt, though."

Meanwhile, Juventus are also hopeful of luring Aleksandar Kolarov away from Manchester City ahead of the 2013-14 campaign.

The Scudetto holders are keen to add a left wing-back to their squad and they see the 27-year-old Serbia international, whose contract runs until June 2015, as the ideal signing.

[Socrates 7964]

Half the cost of Higuain & Jovetic -
Why Carlos Tevez is such a bargain for Juventus

The Argentine has had problems at nearly every club he has represented,
but his signing will be a shrewd move on the part of the Italian champions.

Jun 26, 2013

COMMENT
By Mark Doyle

During an interview with Sky Sport 24 in May, Juventus director Beppe Marotta was asked, "Carlos Tevez or Gonzalo Higuain"? A simple question but difficult to answer. On Tuesday evening, though, it seems that the Bianconeri came to a definitive conclusion that signing Tevez would be the more sensible solution to their striking problems, with the Italian champions agreeing to pay an initial €9-11 million for the enigmatic Manchester City striker.

Admittedly, the name "Tevez" should never normally be used in the same sentence as the word "sensible". But this is the exception that proves the rule: this is a deal that suits both clubs.

Manchester City, of course, simply want rid of a volatile 29-year-old forward with just one year left on a contract worth a whopping €233,000 per week. Juventus, meanwhile, are looking for a proven, world-class attacker for a reasonable price.

Of course, Tevez will not come cheap; he never does. His wages will be among the highest in the Juve squad. But he would still cost significantly less than the Bianconeri’s preferred alternatives, with Real Madrid and Fiorentina both demanding close to €30m for Higuain and Stevan Jovetic respectively. As Marotta pointed out last month when asked about Tevez and Higuain, “It could be easier to buy Carlitos, if only for the reason that he has only one year left of his contract.” The Bianconeri will therefore be hoping that for half the price, they will be getting twice the player.

What they are most certainly getting is twice the ego - and that is why so many Juve fans will be feeling some trepidation about the seemingly imminent arrival of a forward who has proven notoriously problematic during a peripatetic career. Indeed, it is quite remarkable that he actually saw out four years at the Etihad, given the tempestuous nature of his relationship with former City boss Roberto Mancini and their now infamous standoff at the Allianz Arena two years ago.

Juventus will be well aware that Tevez can never go more than a couple of seasons at a club before complaining about... well, everything. But then, that should not be an issue in this instance. The Italian champions have been searching frantically for a goalscorer capable of making an immediate impact in Turin. Tevez is undeniably that kind of player. When he is happy, motivated and focused (i.e. not angling for a move elsewhere), he is truly a force to be reckoned with, as evidenced by his debut campaigns at Corinthians, Manchester United and City.

Yes, he is 29, but he showed last season that he is still able to score and create goals in equal measure and was arguably the one City forward to play to his potential during an underwhelming season for the club. A whirlwind of destruction, like Looney Tunes’ Tasmanian Devil brought to life and sent out to tear up a football field, he also remains one of the most industrious and combative attackers in the game today, capable of causing as much chaos on the field as he so often generates off it.

Tevez has, at the very least, another couple of stellar seasons left in him, which is what Juve are banking on. In that sense, the Bianconeri’s move to acquire the 29-year-old should be viewed in a similar light to Manchester United’s decision to pay €26.5m for a 29-year-old Robin van Persie this time last year.

Obviously, Van Persie, a Bianconeri target last summer, is not only a very different player, but a very different character. However, both Tevez and Juventus are going into this relationship with their eyes wide open. The relatively short-term nature of the commitment should suit the player as much as the club.

Crucially, Juve coach Antonio Conte would have had a massive say in this proposed deal, having made it clear during last month’s showdown talks with his superiors that he wanted a much greater influence in the club’s summer recruitment strategy. That is reassuring, as Tevez is not the type of player a club should foist upon a coach. Conte commands respect no matter what, though. The irritable Argentine will be well aware that the kind of insubordination that he so often displayed at Eastlands simply will not be tolerated in Turin, as evidenced by the way in which Conte ostracised a couple of expensive acquisitions, Milos Krasic and Amauri, during the 2011-12 season.

Juventus, and Conte, therefore seem more than capable of getting their money's worth out of Tevez. Is it still a risk? Of course, but as Marotta alluded to, given the money involved, it is a risk well worth taking.

[Socrates 7964]

Why Manchester City gave up on Carlos Tevez

The Argentine's mammoth wages and numerous indiscretions made a sale inevitable
as Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano prepare to step up their Eastlands revolution.

Jun 26, 2013

SPECIAL REPORT
By Liam Twomey

As Carlos Tevez closes in a move to Juventus, the Italian club's sporting director, Beppe Marotta, may well take a moment to congratulate himself on a job well done. Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano will be inclined to do the same.

It is a move which suits all parties. Juventus, seemingly trumped by Arsenal in the race to sign Gonzalo Higuain, finally have acquired a marquee striker versatile enough to partner with Fernando Llorente or Mirko Vucinic as they look to mount an earnest challenge for the Champions League.

For Tevez, Turin presents the fresh start that he has been craving since that first transfer request in December 2010. He may be taking a significant cut to his gargantuan €233,000-a-week wages and it may not be his beloved Buenos Aires but it is a city and culture which should prove not quite so alien or apparently repugnant as Manchester.

Yet in spite of all this, it is City who will be most satisfied. That may sound strange, given that only Sergio Aguero could match his countryman's goal tally of 17 for the club last season, but City’s perception of the man for whom they went to great lengths and expense to lure from Old Trafford in the summer of 2009 has always been conditioned by more than what he does on the pitch.

To suggest that Tevez has often been difficult to manage during his time at the Etihad Stadium would be a ludicrously kind conclusion. Roberto Mancini, a combustible character himself, found the task impossible. The relationship between the two men shattered in the Allianz Arena away dugout in September 2011 and never recovered.

Tevez, defiant, spent the next three months working on his golf handicap, before returning and helping City win their first league title since 1968. His team-mates and club staff welcomed him back with handshakes and open arms, much to Mancini's chagrin. The whole episode cemented the almost unanimous unpopularity which would eventually prove decisive for the Italian.

There have also been other, less high-profile issues: the driving ban, the 250-hour community service order, the over-indulgence of £50 steaks at Gaucho, his favourite Manchester restaurant, the countless rounds of golf in Cheshire with his wife, Vanessa, the constant public flirting with other clubs and repeated insistencies of his desire to return to his homeland.

GOODBYE, CARLOS

For Begiristain and Soriano, however, the decision to sell is not personal, merely sporting and financial. Tevez is 29 and has just one year remaining on huge money. Having already offloaded Kolo Toure, Wayne Bridge and Roque Santa Cruz, City need to free up more of their wage bill if their €140m shortlist of six summer targets - headed by Napoli striker Edinson Cavani - is to remain feasible, and this is the last window in which Tevez can still command a reasonable fee.

With Financial Fair Play enforcement looming, the former Barcelona duo are keen to eradicate the money-grabbing culture which pervaded at City previously and replace it with more heavily incentivised contracts. They are also keen to cultivate the 'club man' mentality embodied by captain Vincent Kompany and Joe Hart. In both regards, it is clear that Tevez does not fit into their vision.

Edin Dzeko is likely to become another casualty of the City revolution. Cavani is the No.1 attacking target, though Napoli's reluctance to accept anything less than his €63m release clause, combined with stiff competition from Real Madrid and Chelsea, means that tying up a deal will be difficult.

Malaga starlet Isco's likely impending move to the Santiago Bernabeu rather than rejoining former boss Manuel Pellegrini will also necessitate a rethink at Eastlands in the coming days and weeks.

Yet, despite the difficulties City are facing as buyers, the sale of Tevez will be regarded as a success by Begiristain and Soriano. They have lost a big player but also a big headache.

[Socrates 7964]

Tevez: 'Juve wanted me more'

Jun 26, 2012

Carlos Tevez waved the Number 10 jersey at hundreds of fans as he revealed “Juventus wanted me more than Milan.”

The striker arrived in Turin this evening to complete his €12m transfer from Manchester City. He will undergo a medical either today or tomorrow before signing a three-year contract.

“I am very happy to be at Juve, as this is a great satisfaction for me,” said Tevez.

“I will say everything else in the Press conference. Juve wanted me more than Milan.”

The Argentine had been very close to Milan both in January and earlier this summer, but nothing came of the negotiations.

Tevez waved the Number 10 jersey with his name on it out of the window of the Juventus HQ, where around 300 fans are waiting.

He would become the first Juventus player to wear the shirt after Alessandro Del Piero, who left to join Sydney FC a year ago.

The above picture appeared on the official Juventus Twitter feed along with this message: "Carlos Tevez joins Juventus! Send your welcome messages to our new champion!"