You are using our mobile site, click here to use our Desktop view.
Carlos Tevez’s move from Manchester United to Manchester City in the summer of 2009 is still remembered as one of the Premier League’s most iconic – and controversial – transfers. The Argentine striker had joined United in 2007 on loan from West Ham, thanks to his owners, Media Sports Investment (MSI). Over two seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson, Tevez became a key player: he helped the team win the Champions League in 2008 (even if he didn’t play in the final), secured a Premier League title, and the fans loved him for his fighting spirit and knack for scoring – 34 goals in 99 games.
By spring 2009, his loan was up, and United had the option to make the deal permanent for £25.5 million. But Tevez later revealed that he never got a proper contract offer, that communication with Ferguson had broken down, and that he didn’t feel truly wanted (“I didn’t feel they wanted me”). Meanwhile, his agent, Kia Joorabchian, was talking to other clubs – Chelsea and Liverpool among them – but the real shocker came from a surprising place: the newly wealthy Manchester City.
After Sheikh Mansour bought City in 2008, the club started splashing the cash – Robinho, Santa Cruz, you name it. Signing Tevez wasn’t just about football; it was a statement. City paid £25.5 million (though some sources suggest the full cost, including agent fees, could have been as high as £47 million, partly routed through an offshore company, Harlem Springs). On July 14, 2009, the deal was done, and Tevez signed a five-year contract.
And then came the boldest move of all: a giant “Welcome to Manchester” billboard featuring Tevez in a City shirt. It was impossible to miss, and impossible not to see as a direct taunt at United. Ferguson didn’t hold back, calling them a “small club with a small mentality.” United fans felt betrayed, and Tevez has been a controversial figure at Old Trafford ever since.
At City, though, Tevez thrived. He scored 73 goals in 148 appearances, helping them lift the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League in 2012 – yes, the season of Aguero’s unforgettable last-minute goal, and Tevez was right there playing a crucial role. Later, his relationship with Mancini soured (remember the 2011 Bayern game and the “refused to play” controversy), but make no mistake – this transfer reshaped Manchester football. City were no longer just the “noisy neighbours”; they had arrived.
Written by Krisztián Horváth
Football News stories today