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guardian.co.uk, Friday 20 May 2011 15.26 BST
The Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, is standing by his claim that Carlos Tevez will not leave the club this summer.
After Tuesday's 3-0 Premier League win over Stoke City, in which Tevez scored two goals, Mancini said that the Argentinian striker had told him he wanted to stay. Within 24 hours, Tevez's representatives were claiming in private that the striker had said nothing of the sort.
Tevez was subsequently reported to have told an Argentinian radio station that he wanted to leave and even senior figures at City now wonder if Tevez's trusted adviser, Kia Joorabchian, is trying to find a club willing to pay the vast transfer fee and wages the striker would command.
However, as he looked ahead to Sunday's match at Bolton – in which City can secure third place in the Premier League and automatic Champions League qualification, to go with last week's FA Cup final victory against Stoke – Mancini said Tevez was not about to make his final appearance for the club.
"I don't think it will be Carlos's last game," said Mancini. "On Tuesday, I told you all my opinion and I am sure about this. But I can't continue to have a press conference to answer this question. I have spoken with Carlos. I have spoken with him many times in the last weeks and I don't need to speak with him again."
Mancini is not entirely convinced about the quotes emerging from Argentina, attributed to Tevez, that indicate that the player sees his future as being elsewhere.
"I don't know if he has said these things," Mancini said. "Sometimes I have spoken to journalists in Italy and when the comments come back here, it is something completely different. I understand it can happen because of the translation. We have many important players; Carlos, Yaya Touré, David Silva, James Milner, Nigel de Jong. We want them all to stay here."
Mancini also ruled out a move for Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. After two seasons without any significant silverware at Real Madrid, it has been claimed that the Portuguese forward is ready to leave the Bernabéu. A £150m price tag is said to have been put on a player who cost Real a world record £80m when he left Manchester United after the 2009 Champions League final.
Mancini laughed at suggestions that he might be interested in signing Ronaldo. "We have signed Cristiano Ronaldo for £200m," joked the Italian. "I said after the FA Cup final, I would like to sign Ronaldo, [Lionel] Messi, [Cesc] Fábregas and [Andres] Iniesta. I don't think it is possible. I don't know why this has come out. I don't know anything about it. Cristiano Ronaldo is a fantastic player but I don't think he will leave Real Madrid."
The Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, is standing by his claim that Carlos Tevez will not leave the club this summer.
After Tuesday's 3-0 Premier League win over Stoke City, in which Tevez scored two goals, Mancini said that the Argentinian striker had told him he wanted to stay. Within 24 hours, Tevez's representatives were claiming in private that the striker had said nothing of the sort.
Tevez was subsequently reported to have told an Argentinian radio station that he wanted to leave and even senior figures at City now wonder if Tevez's trusted adviser, Kia Joorabchian, is trying to find a club willing to pay the vast transfer fee and wages the striker would command.
However, as he looked ahead to Sunday's match at Bolton – in which City can secure third place in the Premier League and automatic Champions League qualification, to go with last week's FA Cup final victory against Stoke – Mancini said Tevez was not about to make his final appearance for the club.
"I don't think it will be Carlos's last game," said Mancini. "On Tuesday, I told you all my opinion and I am sure about this. But I can't continue to have a press conference to answer this question. I have spoken with Carlos. I have spoken with him many times in the last weeks and I don't need to speak with him again."
Mancini is not entirely convinced about the quotes emerging from Argentina, attributed to Tevez, that indicate that the player sees his future as being elsewhere.
"I don't know if he has said these things," Mancini said. "Sometimes I have spoken to journalists in Italy and when the comments come back here, it is something completely different. I understand it can happen because of the translation. We have many important players; Carlos, Yaya Touré, David Silva, James Milner, Nigel de Jong. We want them all to stay here."
Mancini also ruled out a move for Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. After two seasons without any significant silverware at Real Madrid, it has been claimed that the Portuguese forward is ready to leave the Bernabéu. A £150m price tag is said to have been put on a player who cost Real a world record £80m when he left Manchester United after the 2009 Champions League final.
Mancini laughed at suggestions that he might be interested in signing Ronaldo. "We have signed Cristiano Ronaldo for £200m," joked the Italian. "I said after the FA Cup final, I would like to sign Ronaldo, [Lionel] Messi, [Cesc] Fábregas and [Andres] Iniesta. I don't think it is possible. I don't know why this has come out. I don't know anything about it. Cristiano Ronaldo is a fantastic player but I don't think he will leave Real Madrid."