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BUENOS AIRES - Carlos Tevez has surprised himself with
his success in English football, Manchester City's new signing said
on Tuesday.
"The truth is that when I signed for West Ham I wanted to leave
after 10 days," the Argentina striker said.
"I never thought I'd achieve all the good things I've done in
this country," the 25-year-old added in an interview with Radio
del Plata.
"At this stage of my life I only think of continuing to grow and
progress. I want to be one of the best players in England," said
Tevez, who had a season at West Ham United, helping them avoid
relegation in 2006 before moving to Manchester United.
"England is a high quality country, my wife is very happy and my
daughter, who is four, too. This year she starts school here. I
signed a contract for five years and I'm relaxed."
Tevez, who said he was off to South Africa with City for the
pre-season, added: "This season will be very important with very
big challenges with the club and the (Argentine) national team.
"So it will be essential to have good preparation this month for
the whole year."
City are trying to buy themselves into the Premier League elite
while Argentina have struggled lately in the qualifiers for the
2010 World Cup in South Africa.
'GOOD BUSINESS'
Iranian-born entrepreneur Kia Joorabchian, who sold Tevez's
transfer rights to City after he placed the player on loan at West
Ham and then United, said he had done very good business.
He paid Boca Juniors 19.5 million dollars for Tevez in 2004 and
City spent a reported 25.5 million pounds on the player's
transfer.
"I did very good business...I paid cheaply for Carlitos,"
Joorabchian told the Argentine sports daily Ole in an
interview published on Tuesday.
"When we bought him for $20 million everyone said that was too
expensive. But he's worth much more.
"As a person he's incredible... For me, Carlitos has no price,
not 50 nor 60 million.
"It's an incredible story... He started playing football in a
very poor area. He came out of Fort Apache," said Joorabchian
referring to the dangerous shanty in which Tevez grew up.
"We began (our liaison) with a title at Corinthians (in Brazil),
he saved West Ham (from relegation) and won six titles (trophies)
with United.
"This is the start of a new project, starting from nothing,
because City has nothing today, but Carlitos is a winner."
Tevez's transfer fee was the second highest for an Argentine
player after former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo, who joined Lazio
from Parma for 35 million pounds in 2000.