Mark Hughes has confirmed Manchester City are ready to move for Carlos Tevez should Manchester United fail to agree a permanent £25.5m deal for the Argentina striker, with the world's wealthiest club also keen to exploit uncertainty surrounding Samuel Eto'o's future at Barcelona.
Kia Joorabchian, the head of the consortium that owns Tevez's economic rights, held a two-hour meeting yesterday with the United chief executive, David Gill, aware that City are waiting in the wings should he decide to invite rival offers for the 25-year-old. The talks were described as "cordial" and ended with Joorabchian returning to London to consider United's long-awaited offer. The club had previously asked Joorabchian to reduce the £25.5m fee that was agreed when the Argentinian moved to Old Trafford on loan in 2007, a request that left the striker, according to a representative, feeling "humiliated".
Joorabchian will now put United's proposal to Tevez before informing Gill whether they have a deal, although a final decision is not expected until after Argentina's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Colombia on Saturday and Ecuador next Wednesday. The striker is currently in Argentina preparing for Saturday's game in Buenos Aires and is known to want to remain in England, and preferably the north-west, if the United deal collapses.
City will lead a host of clubs keen to sign Tevez should the opportunity arise and Hughes, has revealed his club is ready to follow their surprise capture of Gareth Barry with the Old Trafford forward. "Carlos Tevez is a good player. If good players become available then obviously every manager is interested," he said.
Hughes' wealthy employers are also believed to be interested in luring the European champion Eto'o to Eastlands, with the Cameroon striker yesterday given an ultimatum by the Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, to end his contractual stand-off with Barcelona. Eto'o enters the final 12 months of his current deal this summer and is likely to be sold if an extension cannot be agreed. The Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, said: "Samuel has a contract and we're very happy with him. We want him to continue with us and for him to retire in the Barça shirt. But the market is very dynamic and there could be surprises. He's a wanted man and we know he'll receive offers." Everton defender Joleon Lescott is another target for City, although Goodison Park officials will resist any bid for the England international.
City have shown they will not be held to ransom despite their resources by rejecting Daniel Sturridge's demands for approximately £70,000 a week to sign a new contract at City. The 19-year-old forward is out of contract this summer and expected to join Chelsea for a compensation fee.
"We have offered Daniel a deal that we think is at the level he should be at," said Hughes. "He is in a strong position because he is in the last year of his contract. He is keeping his options open, which he has done for quite some time, we just have to wait and see. Obviously I have made my intentions very clear to him I would like him to stay but it may be out of our hands."
Barry's arrival in a £12m, £100,000-a-week deal from Aston Villa is expected to hasten Elano's exit from City, with the Brazilian midfielder currently talking up a move to join Jose Mourinho at Internazionale. The 27-year-old's popularity with supporters at Eastlands is in contrast to his standing under Hughes, who views Elano as a disruptive influence in the City dressing room and used him mainly as a substitute until the latter stages of last season. "There are ongoing negotiations and I hope the Inter directors will go right to the end," Elano told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I want to wear the Inter shirt." City are looking to recoup the £8m fee paid to Shakhtar Donetsk for Elano in 2007.
Hughes, meanwhile, is deliberating whether to allow goalkeeper Joe Hart to leave City for a season-long loan next season. Hart was first choice at City until Shay Given arrived from Newcastle United in February and, with aspirations of playing in next summer's World Cup, the England Under-21 international is anxious to remain in Fabio Capello's thinking for South Africa. Newly-promoted Birmingham City are among those believed to be interested in taking Hart on loan.
"Joe is frustrated and obviously wants to play," confirmed the City manager. "We will look at his situation in the coming weeks and it might be to both Joe's and the club's benefit if he did go out on loan. He'd be playing on a regular basis and, given his ability, he would no doubt improve his standing in the game and help his development."
Meanwhile Manchester United confirmed that they have secured the most lucrative shirt sponsorship deal in football, believed to be a £20m-a-season, four-year partnership with the American financial giant, Aon Corp.United have been scouring the globe for a new sponsorship deal since their current sponsor, AIG, the American insurance company, announced it would not be renewing its £14m-a-year deal when it expires at the end of the 2009-10 season.
AIG's decision followed massive losses suffered during the current economic crisis but, despite the downturn, United are understood to have eclipsed that deal – and the lucrative sponsorships of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Chelsea – with an £80m agreement with Chicago-based Aon.
Old Trafford officials have held negotiations with several global companies about replacing AIG in recent months, including Sahara, the Indian financial services corporation, and Saudi Telecom. However, Aon, despite its profits plummeting during the recession, are expected to be announced as United's new shirt sponsor for 2010-11 today.
David Gill, the United chief executive, said of the Aon deal: "Today's announcement clearly strengthens our position as one of the biggest clubs in world football.
"We look forward to being closely aligned with the world leader in risk management, a firm which shares our values and is an exciting partner for Manchester United."
