Tevez; will he, won't he?

Things seem to be reaching a conclusion in regards to the future of the Herman Munster-headed one from across the road. Sources (read: bored office workers) have been reporting that we've had a deal tied up for a couple of weeks. I'm pretty dubious about those tales, to be completely honest. I personally think these 'in the know' rumours are nothing more than tittle-tattle that's been gaining momentum since TalkSport were talking bubbles a week or so back. I mean, i'd love to believe them, i really would, but i've rarely known internet sources to be correct at all, and that particular station's never too far behind in the nobby stakes.

What is for certain is that he's a very good player, though i'm sure we've all got his last season's league goals stats to hand just incase he decides to go elsewhere. He's got a lot i admire from a player; he's tough, works his socks off, and makes up for what he might lack in finesse with an engine that's rarely seen nowadays. I think our support would love him, and all the more knowing that as the darling of the Stretford End he decided to leave the dark side for their more illustrious city neighbours. More than any other player on the books of them lot at present, i'd like us to sign him. He's not their best player, but he's the fans favourite, they'd be gutted to see him move here, as much as they might try and deny it.

Personally, i'm not sure how much of a chance we have of convincing him to come. There are things in our favour, obviously; location (assuming reports of him not wanting to leave the region are true), United's rivalry with Liverpool (it is of course their biggest fixture of the season, hmmmm!), and the salary we can offer, which i'm sure will be greater than that on the table from any of the other interested parties. We can also, and most importantly, offer regular first team football, a place every week, not the arse-splinters on the weekend once he's bagged a winner midweek. We're an exciting opportunity, there's no doubt. He could be a god here, he really could, and he strikes me as being the sort of player who might give more as the big fish in a small pond rather than one of a number elsewhere.

What's against us, though, is the obvious, we're not involved in a European competition, let alone the Champions League, and there's no guarantee we will be in a year's time, or after that, whereas The Rags, Liverpool, Chelsea, Barca & Milan will pretty much always have that carrot to dangle. There's also the fact that Tevez would pretty much burn any bridges left at Old Trafford by crossing the city. It's patently obvious that Manchester United mean a lot to him, would he throw that away, i'm not convinced. I'm not entirely sure he wants to leave The Swamp, and neither am i sure that his complaints about not getting games are warranted. He's played 97 games there in two years, starting 71, he's hardly a reserve. His point can only be that he's started certain vital games from the bench, and it's safe to say that we probably couldn't offer him those kind of games quite yet. With Ronaldo gone, too, a change of system might see him earn even more starts.

The impression i get is that he's still trying to force Fergie into promising him a regular first-team place, and that if that happens then United will remain his first choice, after all they can offer pretty much everything else he's looking for - a good salary, no uprooting his family, European football. I can't imagine him moving to Liverpool, really. I think that would be more of a kick in the teeth to the prawn sandwichers than coming here, plus, i'm not sure they could afford to sign him outright. Chelsea would arguably have two strikers infront of him, aswell, and are a side who have generally played 4-5-1. Barca, well, that would probably have to involve Eto'o moving on, as i believe he will, but even then i think they'd be more likely to invest in Benzema, Ibrahimovic, Ribery, Villa or a number of other players. Milan seem to be in transition and would obviously involve another move. They have the money, their aging side needs the sort of injection he could give, but again, the sounds from his people seem to suggest he'll remain in England.

I'd love to see Carlito in a City shirt, i really would, and i think it might've happened sooner had Madrid not moved for Ronaldo. I'm just dubious as to whether Sour Alex will allow the club to lose two of the fan's favourites in one summer. I'm assuming he'll have most of the incoming money to spend, and i'm sure he knows that however much he doesn't fancy Tevez, it would please their fans no end to see him retained. He almost certainly also doesn't want to give the impression that 'ickle Citeh' have poached one of his key players. They're still big favourites, they really are. We'll welcome him with open arms should he decide to make the switch, but at the same time i'm not getting too excited about the prospect. As much as we'd like not to admit it, they've got he upper hand. I just hope the player makes the right decision, because he could be a legend here.