Manchester City were confident on Friday of persuading captain Carlos Tevez to stay at the club as the unsettled player prepared to hold talks with manager Roberto Mancini.
Manchester City were confident on Friday of persuading captain Carlos Tevez to stay at the club as the unsettled player prepared to hold talks with manager Roberto Mancini.
The Argentina striker handed in a transfer request which the club turned down last week. He missed Thursday's 1-1 Europa League draw at Juventus but has been training with the rest of the squad not required in Italy.
"We feel that he''s got a huge part to play in the future of the football club," City football administrator Brian Marwood told Sky Sports News.
"That didn't change before he made his transfer request and that doesn't change after he made his transfer request. He's very popular amongst the group, he''s very popular amongst the fans. We are looking forward to Carlos staying at this football club."
Asked if he believed Tevez might stay, Marwood replied: "Yes".
Tevez has said his relationship with some club executives was "beyond repair" and that City's failure to qualify for the Champions League last season had also left him disillusioned.
The 26-year-old has also described wanting to leave the club over the summer and said that that desire still remained.
His fine form of 33 goals in 50 league appearances since joining City from local rivals Manchester United has been instrumental in getting his team to third in the league and it is obvious why they are keen to keep hold of him. Tevez still has three-and-a-half years left on his contract.
Marwood said: "He's come into training this week, he's been extremely professional, he's conducted himself very, very well. We're very pleased in terms of his attitude, his application. I don't see that changing."
He added that the team had also dealt professionally with Tevez's situation.
"I saw no reaction last night in Turin and I don't expect to see any reaction against Everton on Monday.
For us it's about keeping the group together focussed and looking to challenge for the honours that hopefully will come our way."
Whether Tevez is still City captain come Monday remains to be seen but if Marwood's prediction is correct that he will be persuaded to stay in talks scheduled for later on Friday, he is expected to play in the game.
Marwood did not think the world's richest club would need to dabble too much in the upcoming transfer window but did not rule out buying and selling altogether.
"We feel very comfortable with the group that we have," he said. "I don't think there has to be too many changes but you never know what presents itself."
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