Commit to City? I won’t be holding my breath

Carlos Tevez is something of an enigma. An extremely talented footballer; arguably the best striker in the Premier League and yet despite his successes initially at United and sowing the seeds of what is likely to be a period of great success at City, he never appears to seem happy. The guy is absolutely worshiped at Eastlands and yet it appears that the love and affection that is showered on him is not enough.

I remember speaking to Ricky Villa about Tevez, shortly after he handed in his transfer request earlier in the season about his continual claims of feeling homesick. Ricky suggested that life in Argentina is so very different in every aspect that unless you embrace your new surroundings, learn the language and integrate with your new society then life is always going to prove somewhat alien, given the vast differences in culture. Ricky may make a valid point, but I wonder if that really is the root of the problem. City have always been accommodating to allow him time off to be back with his family and yet that still doesn’t appear to be enough. If Tevez was set to move back to Argentina should he leave City then I’ll accept it, but something tells me that a big money move to Italy and Spain will be on the cards this summer. Maybe a move to mainland Europe will help his family settle better, or is it simply to bolster the coffers of the player’s advisors?

So why does Tevez feels the need to leave a football club that could pay him whatever he wants and is on the cusp of challenging the major players in Europe? Maybe it is simply prestige and recognition the player is missing and he wants to be plying his trade at a more established and decorated football club. It is no secret that he enjoyed the spotlight at Old Trafford, given United’s stature in world football and maybe that is what is missing for Carlos Tevez. We are led to believe that the player has freed himself from 3rd party ownership following his move to Eastlands, but are they still heavily influencing his decision making for their own benefit? In the Guardian this morning it suggests that Tevez has refuted the claim by Mancini that he wishes to stay at Eastlands and he is set to discuss his future next week with his advisor Kia Joorabchian. I suppose there is a possibility that homesickness could be a key factor in all of this, although I question how bad it can be having spent over five years in England and who reportedly is given ample opportunity to fly back home throughout the season. That just seems to me to be a rather convenient excuse and not the genuine motives behind any potential move. Maybe Tevez will surprise us all and pledge his future to Manchester City, but given his past form and advisors, I for one won’t be holding my breath.