Big-spending English Premier League club Manchester City have completed the much-anticipated signing of Argentina international Carlos Tevez.
The 25-year-old was presented to the media on Tuesday afternoon ahead of City's departure the following day for a three-match pre-season tour of South Africa.
City revealed on Monday night that the striker has agreed a five-year contract and would complete his move from bitter rivals Manchester United after passing a medical.
A fee for the transfer has not yet been revealed, but it is reported that City have agreed to pay about $40 million to take over the player's ownership rights from the sports agencies which previously held them.
Tevez denied claims by his former manager Alex Ferguson that he had decided to leave Old Trafford as long ago as January.
Ferguson also said that he had offered the player a new contract on the night United played Inter Milan in the Champions League in March, but Tevez did not return his calls or text messages.
"I was there for two years and Sir Alex never called or sent any text messages in that time," Tevez told reporters through an interpreter.
"The only time he spoke to me was after the Champions League final in Rome when I was going back to Argentina. It doesn't seem that this is the way to treat a player in two years at the club. It doesn't seem there is a line of communication.
"It is United people talking about signing a contract (in January) but it is not true that it was decided then. I felt Sir Alex Ferguson and (United chief executive) David Gill did not do enough to try to keep me.
"The fact I did not stay at United was not because of the fans. They must understand a part of my heart will always be with them. They were always extremely supportive, even when I wasn't playing."
City manager Mark Hughes confirmed that the club had been in contact with Arsenal over a move for Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who has been linked with a $40 million move to Eastlands.
"I think there's been discussions between ourselves and Arsenal but, as is my usual response about players that we haven't signed, really it's not the right time or place to discuss that -- only in as much as yes, there has been contact," Hughes told reporters.
"There's a deal to be done, possibly, but it's not been concluded as we speak. Until it actually happens, really it's not the time or the place to discuss it here."
The Mancunians have also made a huge offer for Chelsea captain John Terry, but the London club have insisted that the England defender is not for sale.
"I have fantastic respect for John Terry, ever since I saw him as a young player when I was at Chelsea as a player myself," Hughes said.
"He's a great player and an outstanding captain. But he's very much a Chelsea player at this moment in time. I think any manager would covet a player of the type of John Terry, but at this moment in time he's a player for Chelsea, so we have to respect that."
The high-profile capture of Tevez is a big boost for the club and its billionaire Abu Dhabi-based owner, who was forced to end his long-running bid to sign Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.
The Cameroon international, who had been offered a reported $400,000 a week wages, stalled on the move after being offered a new deal by the European champions, with some papers claiming he wanted a big chunk of any transfer fee paid by City.
If Hughes does also sign Adebayor then the Welshman will have nine strikers at his disposal.
The former Manchester United forward already has new $30 million signing Roque Santa Cruz, January's $23 million acquisition Craig Bellamy and Brazil star Robinho -- who arrived a year ago in a British-record $58 million coup.
Felipe Caicedo, Valeri Bojinov, Benjani Mwaruwari and Ched Evans have also been given shirt numbers -- Tevez will wear No. 32 -- in a 57-strong squad named ahead of the new season.
Hughes has released former England international striker Darius Vassell, while England Under-20 forward Daniel Sturridge has joined Chelsea for a fee to be resolved by a tribunal.
Tevez scored 19 goals in 63 appearances for Premier League champions United after joining from West Ham, who he controversially saved from relegation despite a furor over his part-ownership with agent Kia Joorabchian's MSI Group.
He has won 50 international caps, and has recently returned from holidays following Argentina's latest World Cup qualifiers.
Tevez, who has won an Olympic gold medal, is the only man to be named South American Player of the Year in three successive seasons
source : www.cnn.com
