Tevez ‘will stay in Premier League’

Despite United’s cross-town rival Manchester City not being able to offer Tevez European football next season, its wealthy Abu Dhabi ownership is targeting the world’s best players to create a title-winning side.

“City and Chelsea probably would be the two clubs that are on the table,” Tevez’s adviser Kia Joorabchian said Saturday. “City have obviously been in contact with us. I have spoken to (City executive chairman) Garry (Cook) and to (manager) Mark (Hughes) on several occasions.

“We haven’t talked to them about a contract; we haven’t talked to Chelsea either about that because we’ve respected the fact that Carlos is a Manchester United player.”

Liverpool was ruled out by Tevez because of the club’s rivalry with United. Tevez was brought to England in 2006 through a contentious loan move to West Ham by the investment company that will relinquish his rights when he seals a permanent deal.

The Red Devils said they had wanted to keep Tevez and were willing to pay & pounds; 25.5 million ($41 million) to turn his two-year loan deal into a permanent contract. “Disappointingly, however, his advisers informed the club that, despite the success he has enjoyed during one of the club’s most successful periods, he does not wish to continue playing for Manchester United,” the Old Trafford team said.

Tevez decided to leave Old Trafford, having previously said that United disrespected him by not explaining why he was dropped so often from the team. He joined United before the 2007-08 seasons and quickly become a fan favorite. After the final home match of the season in May, more than a thousand supporters converged on the directors’ exit and players’ tunnel to chant at manager Alex Ferguson: “Fergie, sign him up.”

Joorabchian said the decision to reject United’s offer was not down to money, but the club’s long delay in making the offer.

“If it was, let’s say, Wayne Rooney’s contract finishing six months before, or Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract finishing six months before, would they have offered a better deal to them at that time or would they have tried to secure their services a bit sooner?” Joorabchian asked. “He has that little bit of a feeling that maybe he wasn’t the most wanted person at United.”

Tevez’s exit will leave Ferguson searching for another attacking player to complement Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov while also seeking a replacement for Ronaldo, who is set to complete a move to Real Madrid.

Teenagers Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck made impressive contributions last season, but lack the experience Man United requires as it seeks to rebound following its Champions League final defeat to Barcelona.