Tevez paved the way for Man City to trump Utd on transfers, says Richards

The arrival of Carlos Tevez at Manchester City in 2009 proved to be a transfer tipping point, says Micah Richards, with the Blues now in a position where they can edge out arch-rivals United in any recruitment battles.

For many years, the Red Devils were the dominant force in a north west power struggle.

Sheikh Mansour’s billions changed all of that, though, with City suddenly able to afford and attract some of the finest talent on the planet.

Considerable success has been enjoyed at the Etihad Stadium while neighbours at Old Trafford have toiled, with Pep Guardiola benefitting from that standing during his reign.

Richards feels few players would now choose United over City, with Tevez – who crossed a fierce divide when completing a controversial switch – altering the course of history.

“I will never forget the day Tevez joined City,” former Blues defender Richards told the Daily Mail.

“Carlos wasn’t a lad who spoke much around the dressing room but, my God, when he was on the pitch he was unbelievable. In those first sessions with us, I was looking at him thinking 'how have they let him go?'

“Carlos carried us for a couple of seasons, as the Abu Dhabi venture began to take off. He was a genuine world-class talent, a player who showed others of his level that City meant business and were a serious destination.

“He had his troubles and nobody has forgotten the moment Carlos refused to come on in a Champions League game against Bayern Munich and subsequently went back to Argentina on strike but, let me tell you, if he hadn’t have come back that season we wouldn’t have won the title in 2012.

“Tevez’s influence was huge on so many things. If City target a player nowadays, they will pretty much get them. You hear about the interest but then the transaction is done and they carry on progressing. Can you really say the same about United? 

“You might tell me City missed out to United for Robin van Persie, when he left Arsenal in 2012, but how often do United get the players that City really want now? The only one I can recall in recent times is Alexis Sanchez but that, to be diplomatic, didn’t work out for United.”

Tevez hit 73 goals in 148 appearances for City, helping them to a first Premier League title in 2012, and helped to pave the way for a number of superstar performers to make their way to Manchester.