Manchester City must keep Carlos Tevez

For the last two transfer windows Manchester City have spent their best efforts trying to offload Carlos Tevez.

Their high asking price, initially of £40 million, and later a minimum of £25 million, saw no takers - and it worked out for the best.

Tevez made his comeback at the end of last season, turning City's title charge around, and ended it a hero rather than an outcast.

It was expected that AC Milan would re-ignite their bid for the Argentinian in the wake of selling Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but this no longer appears likely.

Almost immediately afterwards, Tevez in an interview on City's pre-season training camp in Austria declared he was happy at City and 'here to stay' - proving his late re-unification with the squad was not just a marriage of convenience.

So the fact talk of a sudden Tevez leaving City re-surfacing seems a bit of a shock. Firstly former City player and director Dennis Tueart told ESPN that the club should ditch Tevez to sign Robin van Persie and then bookies dropped prices on him leaving for a return to West Ham yesterday. 

We can see City's dilemma. They are having trouble offloading strikers they are desperate to ditch, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz, plus they have to decide what to do with young prospect John Guidetti.

Tevez is currently one of City's 'big four' along with Balotelli, Dzeko and Aguero. If they want to sign Van Persie, they need to consider ditching one of the four - and after his actions last season off the pitch, Tevez remains a candidate.

What City can't afford, is to back Tevez, and then have him implode like last season. Fortunately the chances of this seem slim after his declaration he is happy, and even if it represents a bit of a gamble, the club should stick with him.

There are few players quite like the Argentine in world football, and if he truly does have his joy for the game back, he could be unstoppable next season. He scored against Malaysia in pre-season earlier this week, and looks ready to go.

What's more, he has a blossoming partnership with compatriot Sergio Aguero, which threatens to tear up defences next season. Tevez looks genuinely thrilled at the prospect of playing alongside last season's goal hero, and City should stick with it.

Van Persie is an enticing prospect, but the choice should come down to he and Edin Dzeko. The Bosnian was a star performer at times last season, and mediocre at others. He is also wanted around Europe and would be easier to offload than Tevez if City wanted to lower their asking price.

There are plenty of reasons to keep Dzeko, but Tevez appears to be in front of him in the pecking order at present. The issue of Dzeko or Van Persie is a discussion for another day.

Keeping the four of Van Persie, Balotelli, Tevez, and Aguero happy may be a tough task, but there is no doubting they are a league winning combination.

Tevez has affirmed his commitment to City, so the club should do the same for him.

image: © jillyspoon