Carlos Tevez has rejected Manchester City’s offer of a new contract.
The Argentine has told the Premier League champions that he will see out the last 18 months of his current deal before leaving the Etihad on a free transfer to play for his boyhood heroes Boca Juniors.
Tevez revealed in an interview in Argentina that he has turned down City’s offer of a two-year extension.
And after playing his way back into the hearts of the fans after his AWOL antics 12 months ago, the 28-year-old has risked their wrath again by admitting he would rather have played for Boca in the Buenos Aires derby against River Plate than line up for Roberto Mancini’s men against Fulham.
Tevez said: “I’ve got a year left on my contract at Manchester City and they want me to sign for two more seasons.
“I would prefer to return home, but it is very difficult because City won’t let me leave for nothing.
“I will stay in Europe for another two years and then go back.
“Boca’s president always says the door is open for me to rejoin them and I am dying to pull on their shirt once more.
“I want to end my career with them. It is my dream and the dream of my family as well. I would love to be playing for them against River Plate. I’d prefer that to City’s game against Fulham.
“But I am under contract and have to be here in England.”
Tevez became a hero at the Etihad when he rejected the chance to stay with Manchester United to join City in 2009.
But a dispute with Mancini over his role as a substitute in a Champions League tie at Bayern Munich last season prompted him to decamp back to Argentina and he was fined more than £10million in wages.
Tevez admitted: “I almost retired last year.
“I had lost the desire to play and spent time crying alone in my room.
“Bad things happened one after the other. I was knocked out of the Copa America with Argentina and I had my dispute with Roberto Mancini.
“I suffered psychologically. I did not want anything more to do with football.”
Tevez added: “I am much better now.
“I am winning people over because I began the new season well.
“Although my form dipped, I am on my way back. I have lost weight and I can run faster.”
“I still don’t like being substituted. I am a hot-blooded individual, but at least I now understand the manager’s reasons.
“In the past I used to call him every name under the sun, but now I understand he does it for the good of the team.”