CARLOS TEVEZ’ concerns about his future at Manchester United have led him to start considering contingency plans in case the Premier League leaders choose not to turn his current loan arrangement into a permanent deal at the end of the season.
While Tevez’ unwavering desire is to convince Alex Ferguson to tie him to a long-term deal at Old Trafford, the Argentina striker has become increasingly concerned about the way the club have persistently held off signing him up.
Tevez is still optimistic of concluding a deal whereby he remains a United player, but he and his advisers are also looking at potential alternatives and are aware of interest from, among others, Real Madrid and Inter Milan.
City have also been informed of Tevez’ possible availability and one Premier League chairman, who asked not to be named, said it was “openly known” within football circles that the 24-year-old might need new employers in the summer.
In City’s case Tevez has all the ingredients of the type of player Mark Hughes is looking for – an established Premier League forward with experience of what it takes to win medals.
Tevez hopes it will be immaterial and that United will be good to their word and negotiate a long-term contract with Kia Joorabchian, the man who effectively holds his ownership rights.
However, it would represent an expensive piece of business for someone who is no longer a mandatory first-team pick. The club have already paid €5.5 million for each of Tevez’ last two seasons on loan but would need around €24 million to make him their own.
That appeared to be no problem last summer when Gill told reporters the transfer would be concluded before the end of the year. There has been a noticeable shift at Old Trafford in the last couple of months, however, with Ferguson saying recently there was no rush to sort it out.
Fifa, meanwhile, will sit in judgment on Nemanja Vidic today following his dismissal in the Club World Cup final on December 21st. The United defender faces a ban of up to three matches, with the suspension covering all Uefa-registered competitions. It means he could miss both Champions League legs against Inter and the start of the quarter-final, should United make it through.
Elsewhere, furious Bolton manager Gary Megson has slammed the club’s supporters as “pathetic”, questioned their intelligence and accused them of creating a hostile atmosphere.
Megson was subjected to personal abuse from the Wanderers fans in the wake of Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at Blackburn.
“I’ve had to cope with it for a long time. I don’t like it, I think it’s pathetic, and I really believe it is having an adverse effect on the team’s performance.”
West Brom have won their appeal against captain Paul Robinson’s dismissal in Tuesday’s 5-0 defeat by Manchester United.
