Food For Thought: Should Carlos Tevez Join Manchester City?

Would Carlos Tevez Be Right To Join Manchester City?

If you believe The Times, then Carlos Tevez's protracted move to Manchester City would be completed on Tuesday. The Argentine international striker played for Manchester United for the past two seasons but United couldn't (or maybe didn’t) muster the money Tevez's owners, the MSI, demanded and now Tevez is seemingly off to city rivals Man City. But would he be making the right decision?

For one, Tevez would have plenty of playing time at a club that is in transition phase (somewhat). Manchester City are planning to break into the Top Four, which might not be a very feasible idea given that in order to become one of the top four clubs in the Premier League, City would have to displace either Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea and these are the four teams that at the moment have the best players in the country. Remember, this is a World Cup year and so garnering maximum playing time and staying in form are vital for any player aiming to feature prominently for his nation in South Africa in 2010.

At Man City Tevez would face less pressure than he did at Manchester United which could make him settle at the City of Manchester Stadium quite easily and maybe even tempt him to play his old Corinthians game. With the likes of Robinho to partner him in attack, Tevez won't be the lone world class attacking player at Man City. Although he wouldn't be able to feature in the Champions League next season (and possible for quite a number of seasons), he could still attempt to lead his side to high positions in the Premier League table.

Yet there is no guarantee of competing at the highest level for Tevez and Man City won't be challenging for top honours, at least not initially. For a player of Tevez's class, it is only justified that he plays for a club that competes for silverware and playing for a Man City won't allow him to do that. The 25-year-old already has the experience of staving off relegation with a certain West Ham United and at Man City this fighting-for-life scenario won't be there but having won the Champions League once and the Premier League twice in two years at Old Trafford, it would be interesting to see how he adapts to a club that is miles behind the Red Devils in terms of success.

To become the best you need to play with the best as well as against the best and at Man City the only true star of football at the moment is Robinho and even the Brazilian international is not at the same level he was back at Santos or at Real Madrid.

What Now For Samuel Eto'o?

Now that Manchester City have formally declared their withdrawal of all interest in Samuel Eto'o, it is only right to ponder on the future of the FC Barcelona striker. Barcelona have already made it clear that they hold the 28-year-old as a liability and just like in last summer are eager to offload him for a decent amount of cash. Eto'o himself was thought to be willing to move to Manchester City for a good amount of cash but now that city have withdrawn their offer for the Cameroonian international, the striker's future has become even more uncertain.

Eto'o is one of the best strikers in Europe and injuries barring one of the most consistent too. Last season he scored 30 times in La Liga and was one of the most vital players in Barca's historic triumph in the Spanish Primera Division as well as in the Champions League and it is a certainty that several big clubs in Europe would do anything to sign him. Manchester United, Inter Milan and AC Milan all have been linked with the player and it doesn't take much to understand that the former Real Mallorca striker would gel anywhere.

Apparently the problem is that Eto’o’s agent appears to ask for too much money from a prospective buyer and this is harming Eto'o’s chances of moving away from Camp Nou. And if David Villa does arrive from Valencia, then Eto'o would be sold. Or else, he would have to play second fiddle to the Spansish international striker.

Subhankar Mondal