Tevez - Bargain Of The Century?

Last updated : 26 June 2013 By Footy Mad - Editor

Why would Manchester City let one of their key players go so cheaply? Well figures outlined in the Times reveal the staggering cost that having the Argentine on the books has been for City.

Due to his previously murky ownership structure it was never officially revealed just how much City paid for the striker when he signed after a two-year spell at Manchester United back in 2009 but according to the paper the fee that City handed Tevez's management company for his ownership rights was a chunky £47m.

"Working on the basis that Tevez has earned about £17 million annually for each of his four years at the Etihad Stadium and including the £47 million fee that the club paid to secure his services, the total cost to the club has been about £106 million," reveals the Times.

It now makes a bit more sense that Tevez is actually leaving the club for such a cheap price.

City will save £17m this season by not having to pay out the final year of his contract – as when bonuses are taking into account – Tevez weekly wage at the Etihad stands at a staggering £327,000-a-week.

If performance targets are met in Italy, the fee from Juventus could eventually rise to £12.7 million too, while City also *saved* £9m on Tevez when he went into self-imposed exile during the title-winning campaign of 2011-12.

Still, no matter what way you spin the figures, the numbers involved give you a clear view of just how much cash City were willing to spend in their, admittedly successful, bid to join the Premier League's top table.

With Tevez sold and Mario Balotelli having gone last January, City are of course in need of a new striker but their options appear limited.

City have been linked with Robert Lewandowski, the Borussia Dortmund striker, although the club abandoned plans to sign Edinson Cavani, the Napoli forward who is expected to join Chelsea or Real Madrid, some time ago and a move for Luis Suarez, of Liverpool, is improbable," says the Times.

The Daily Mail adds the names of Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic and Aston Villa target man Christian Benteke to the list of potential signings.

To other rumours and Cavani wants a Tevez-like £300,000-a-week deal to move from Napoli. Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid are all in pursuit of the Uruguay striker, whose agents set out his demands in London meetings with the Premier League clubs this week. (Daily Mirror)