Carlos
Tevez will take his time before deciding on his future with
Manchester City after winning the FA Cup on Saturday.
Tevez is widely expected to leave the Premier League this summer
after five years, playing for West Ham United and Manchester United
before the move to Eastlands.
City are expected to want £50 million for their top scorer, who
is just behind Dimitar
Berbatov on 19 league goals for the season. But that means
there will only be a handful of clubs able to afford him.
"It's difficult to be far from my daughters,'' Tevez was quoted
as saying by El Mundo after helping City
beat Stoke 1-0.
"I will think hard about what is best for me, first I want to
clear my head, I'm very well, very calm, but l also want to make it
clear that I have no problem with the board, nor with Roberto
(Mancini).
"As there has been a lot of talk that I have a problem with
Roberto, I want to clear that up. If I stay at City I have to start
thinking about what I can bear and it's very difficult, that's the
truth.''
City boss Roberto
Mancini was adamant after the Cup final that Tevez would not be
leaving the club ahead of their first ever season in the Champions
League.
Asked if Tevez would be staying, Mancini said: "Yes. Tevez has a
five-year contract staying with us. He has a five-year contract
with us, he doesn't want to leave."
Director of football Brian Marwood wants Carlos Tevez to reflect
on what he would giving up if he decides to leave Eastlands.
He said: "We are working hard to keep Carlos Tevez, as we are
with everybody. I just hope Carlos reflects on the season, reflects
on yesterday, reflects on the fact we are going to be playing
Champions League football and thinks: 'this is something I want to
be part of'. That is up to Carlos to think through in the
summer.
"You would like to think Manchester City is going to be an
interesting place over the next few years Carlos asked for a
transfer in January and the club refused that. He is a massive
player for us. He is our captain, he is our top goalscorer.
Everyone can see that when he steps over that white line he gives
everything.
"He came into the final yesterday having just recovered from a
very nasty hamstring injury but once again showed great leadership
qualities.''
Marwood believes City can now challenge Manchester United: "In
many respects when you look back it has been a missed opportunity
not just for Manchester City but other clubs at the top to put a
bigger challenge on Manchester United.
"It was a great day for Manchester and congratulations to
United. They have shown fantastic consistency in terms of another
trophy. We believe we can sustain a challenge not just on
Manchester United but Arsenal, Liverpool, who will be much stronger
next season and Spurs. They have a fantastic squad and will
probably make one or two changes.
"I believe it is going to be a very exciting Premier League next
season. We feel we are in a good position to compete. I look at our
squad and I see a lot of players who have come together in a short
space of time. It is a team that is evolving.
"It has been an incredible season. The aims and objectives were
to get into the top four and really press ahead with that. The
bonus has been the FA Cup.
"I don't think there will be major changes, just tinkering with
the squad. We have put together a group whose average is 24-25. We
believe there is a good four years with this group to develop even
further. We are really excited about that prospect.
"There is a huge amount of ambition with Manchester City
starting with Sheikh Mansour right the way through the club. You
have seen that with the players, you have seen that with the
manager (Roberto Mancini).
"He is very focused and not afraid to make tough decisions. It
has got us into a position where we can hopefully move on. But we
have still got an awful lot left to achieve. What you cannot afford
to do an be is complacent."