<a class="postlink" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/players/wayne-rooney/8078959/Wayne-Rooney-will-enable-Manchester-City-to-win-everything-says-Carlos-Tevez.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... Tevez.html</a>?
City are facing strong competition from Chelsea to sign the England striker who appears set to stay in the Premier League when he leaves Manchester United this January rather than consider a move abroad to Real Madrid.
Chelsea will make a lower bid than City but are convinced, according to sources, that they are ahead in the running right now despite the assumption that Rooney wants to remain in the north-west.
The Premier League champions believe that Sir Alex Ferguson would rather sell to them, even though they will bid only around £20 million, than City, who are expected to offer £35-40 million, and that the United manager has the authority to do the deal.
However there is an acceptance that Chelsea will have to convince Rooney’s wife Coleen to move south — which she is understood to be reluctant to do — while he is believed to be prepared to join Chelsea or City and has no qualms about either move.
Chelsea also believe they have an edge because of their track record of winning trophies, the experience of their squad and the reputation of their manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Nevertheless, and if money is a significant motivation for Rooney, they will not offer the same wages he would command at City even though they will pay him substantially more than he is receiving at United.
It is a sign of how seriously City are taking their bid for Rooney that they have consulted Tévez, a former United player, of course, who played alongside the 24-year-old for two seasons at Old Trafford.
It is also clear that Mansour does not want to upset Tévez who has endured a fractious relationship, at times, with City manager Roberto Mancini and who may fear that his role in the side will be usurped if Rooney is signed.
But Tévez, who is the City captain and has developed in the team’s most important player, is hugely enthusiastic about the prospect of Rooney’s arrival.
He greatly admires Rooney as a player but, also, the two are good friends with Rooney having often given Tévez lifts to training or to Manchester airport for away games when they played together.
It has been claimed that City may look to sell Tévez if they sign Rooney but the intention is to play both of them in the same side.
Signing Rooney would also relieve some of the pressure on Tévez who has carried the City attack this season with Emmanuel Adebayor out of form and out of favour and Roque Santa Cruz struggling.
Indeed City supporters may regard Rooney as a replacement, in terms of his aggression and work-rate, for Craig Bellamy who, similarly, had a strong relationship with Tévez.
The City striker’s enthusiastic response to the possibility of signing Rooney has encouraged Mansour to make a bid which may now prove decisive.
City are facing strong competition from Chelsea to sign the England striker who appears set to stay in the Premier League when he leaves Manchester United this January rather than consider a move abroad to Real Madrid.
Chelsea will make a lower bid than City but are convinced, according to sources, that they are ahead in the running right now despite the assumption that Rooney wants to remain in the north-west.
The Premier League champions believe that Sir Alex Ferguson would rather sell to them, even though they will bid only around £20 million, than City, who are expected to offer £35-40 million, and that the United manager has the authority to do the deal.
However there is an acceptance that Chelsea will have to convince Rooney’s wife Coleen to move south — which she is understood to be reluctant to do — while he is believed to be prepared to join Chelsea or City and has no qualms about either move.
Chelsea also believe they have an edge because of their track record of winning trophies, the experience of their squad and the reputation of their manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Nevertheless, and if money is a significant motivation for Rooney, they will not offer the same wages he would command at City even though they will pay him substantially more than he is receiving at United.
It is a sign of how seriously City are taking their bid for Rooney that they have consulted Tévez, a former United player, of course, who played alongside the 24-year-old for two seasons at Old Trafford.
It is also clear that Mansour does not want to upset Tévez who has endured a fractious relationship, at times, with City manager Roberto Mancini and who may fear that his role in the side will be usurped if Rooney is signed.
But Tévez, who is the City captain and has developed in the team’s most important player, is hugely enthusiastic about the prospect of Rooney’s arrival.
He greatly admires Rooney as a player but, also, the two are good friends with Rooney having often given Tévez lifts to training or to Manchester airport for away games when they played together.
It has been claimed that City may look to sell Tévez if they sign Rooney but the intention is to play both of them in the same side.
Signing Rooney would also relieve some of the pressure on Tévez who has carried the City attack this season with Emmanuel Adebayor out of form and out of favour and Roque Santa Cruz struggling.
Indeed City supporters may regard Rooney as a replacement, in terms of his aggression and work-rate, for Craig Bellamy who, similarly, had a strong relationship with Tévez.
The City striker’s enthusiastic response to the possibility of signing Rooney has encouraged Mansour to make a bid which may now prove decisive.