Sir Alex Ferguson hopes Carlos Tevez will look at
his medals at the end of the season and think Manchester United is
the place to be after all.
Tevez set alarm bells ringing at Old Trafford earlier this
week when he recorded a radio interview in South America during
which he claimed it was likely he would leave United when his
two-year loan ends.
Frustrated at a perceived lack of opportunities, the former West
Ham star has had offers from Spain and Italy, although he has not
totally ruled out the possibility of remaining in England.
And Ferguson certainly has not ruled out the possibility of
Tevez staying at United, where the 25-year-old won both the Premier
League title and the Champions League last term and could yet
repeat the feat this year.
"I think he genuinely wants to stay here," said Ferguson.
"That is something we are trying to work towards. I have told
him that repeatedly.
"Maybe at the end of the season if he has won something or
achieved something, he will look at the overall picture and realise
he has made a contribution. I think he will stay. I hope he
does."
Although Tevez established himself as a first-choice member of
Ferguson's starting line-up in his debut season at Old Trafford
after joining in a complicated move from West Ham, with his advisor
Kia Joorabchian apparently getting a small 'fee' for the deal,
appearances this year have been severely restricted.
The arrival of £30.75 front-man Dimitar Berbatov, plus the
increasing use of Cristiano Ronaldo as an orthodox front player has
kept Tevez out.
And clearly the Argentinian does not view games like Sunday's FA
Cup semi-final with Everton, when Ferguson decided to field four
teenagers, as the same standard as a Champions League quarter-final
with FC Porto, to which he contributed just 18 minutes.
"Carlos has played more minutes that Rooney and Berbatov this
season," argued Ferguson.
"He has played in quite a few big games.
"I don't want him to be unhappy that's for sure because he is an
important player for us.
"The difficulty is when you have the options I have got, it
creates problems.
"All the good players want to play in every game but you can't
do that in this league, it is impossible."
Ferguson can have no complaint over Tevez's workrate, which is
the equal, if not better than that of Wayne Rooney, who himself
never seems to stop.
His goal ratio could be improved, particularly as four of his
present tally of 13 came in one Carling Cup win over Blackburn in
December.
But it is the equal of Berbatov's. And there is no doubting
which of the two most United fans prefer, even if Ferguson claimed
the Bulgarian was genuinely distraught at his woeful Wembley
penalty miss last weekend.
"It was a bad penalty. He knows that," said the United boss. "He
was down about it."
More of an issue is the weak bargaining position the Red Devils
find themselves in.
As someone who never allows the contracts of key men to dwindle
down long enough for them to consider a Bosman transfer, Ferguson
always knew the loan arrangement for Tevez was fraught with
danger.
It has been suggested United need to pay a transfer 'fee'
upwards of £30million to seal Tevez's registration. Even without
the club's massive debt, it is unlikely the Glazer family could
justify spending such a large sum of money on a player who is not a
certain starter.
And the uncertainty leaves the way open for potential suitors to
muscle in.
"We are vulnerable because of the loan situation, there is no
question about that," said Ferguson.
"It is the weakness and when he is questions by journalists it
is loaded towards that. It can lead him into saying things he
doesn't really believe or mean."
