Sports
Mancini Rules Out Tavez Loan Deal
Carlos Tevez captained Manchester City to FA Cup success last season but has rarely played since then.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has ruled out the possibility of Carlos Tevez departing on loan, hours after AC Milan announced plans to discuss a possible move for the Argentina striker.
Milan want an initial loan deal with a view to a post-season transfer, but Mancini warned the Italian champions ahead of Thursday’s planned meeting that the 27-year-old will only leave the English Premier League leaders if a permanent deal can be agreed.
“I hope we can find a good solution for us and Carlos,” Mancini, who guided Milan’s archrivals Inter to three successive Serie A titles, told reporters on Tuesday. “We want Carlos to come back and play football, and the best solution for us is to sell him.
“Milan know we can’t put him on loan but if they want to buy Carlos, for us it is OK.”
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said a deal is unlikely to be wrapped up before the seven-time European champions leave for a mid-season training camp in Dubai on December 29.
“Thursday we have a meeting with Manchester City about Tevez, but will probably not be the decisive one to conclude the negotiations,” Galliani told Milan’s official website.
“It will be almost impossible to take him to Dubai with the rest of the team. With Manchester City we have a long way to go, at the moment.”
Mancini said City could not continue allowing to let highly-paid players go out on loan, which has happened with strikers such as Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and, until he joined Liverpool on a free transfer in August, Craig Bellamy.
“When Manchester City buy a player, they have to pay a lot of money. But when we want to sell them, they have to go on loan. It is not good for the club and it is not correct for the other players,” he said.
“Manchester City paid Carlos a lot of money three years ago. It is correct that if one club, it could be Milan, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, they pay Carlos for his value. This is correct.”
Silva strike leaves Manchester City clear at the top
Tevez was fined by City for refusing to warm up when he was an unused substitute in a European Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich in September.
The former Manchester United forward has been consistently linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium after handing in a transfer request in December 2010.
Tevez looked to be heading back to former club Corinthians, where he spent two years between 2004 and 2006, but the Brazilian club pulled out of the deal in July.
The Buenos Aires native has not played for City since September’s domestic cup victory over second division Birmingham City and has made just three league appearances for the team he captained last season.
Meanwhile, former France striker David Trezeguet is on the verge of sealing a switch to Argentine team River Plate.
River’s official website confirmed the 34-year-old has passed a medical and will officially join the Buenos Aires club on January 4.
The former Juventus and Monaco forward has been playing for Baniyas in the United Arab Emirates since leaving Spanish club Hercules in August.
Trezeguet has enjoyed a glittering career, winning the World Cup with France in 1998 before scoring the winning goal for his country in the final of Euro 2000 against Italy.
The 33-time national champions have endured a torrid time in recent seasons, culminating in their relegation from Argentina’s top flight in June.
Victory for the Super Eagles in Casablanca followed the disappointment of losing shoot-outs that cost them chances to compete at the 2026 World Cup and in the 2025 AFCON final.
Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo last November in a play-off for a place in the World Cup intercontinental play-offs.
Then, three days ago, they lost another shoot-out to fail against hosts Morocco in an AFCON semi-final.
Success maintained a perfect Nigerian record in third place AFCON matches after seven previous play-offs victories.
Before Lookman scored, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missed the Eagles’ first kick, then Akor Adams, captain Moses Simon and Alex Iwobi scored.
Premier League pair Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush both had kicks saved by Stanley Nwabali before Ramy Rabia and Mahmoud Saber scored.
Egypt made six changes and Nigeria five to the teams that started semi-final losses to Senegal and hosts Morocco respectively three days ago.
Captain Salah started for the Pharaohs while traditional first choices in goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy and forward Marmoush were among the substitutes.
Attackers Victor Osimhen and Lookman, both former winners of the annual African player of the year award, sat on the bench for Nigeria.
Most Moroccans in a crowd that nearly filled the 45,000-capacity Stade Mohammed V backed Nigeria. They whistled whenever Egypt gained possession and when coach Hossam Hassan was shown on the big screen.
This support for the Super Eagles was attributed to the great rivalry between Morocco and Egypt, both at national team and club levels.
– Goals disallowed –
Nigeria initially, then Egypt had spells of dominance in a goalless opening half on a cold, cloudy evening in the Moroccan commercial capital.
Paul Onuachu thought he had broken the deadlock on 36 minutes as he deflected the ball with his head past goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
However, a VAR review by the Moroccan referee revealed Onuachu had accidently struck Hamdy Fathy with an elbow. The goal was disallowed and the Nigerian yellow-carded.
Lookman was introduced by coach Eric Chelle for the second half, replacing Onuachu, and he had the ball in the net in the opening minute of the second period. However, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Nigeria started after the break with a series of attacks. Following a largely uneventful first half, Shobeir — the son of former Egypt goalkeeper Ahmed Shobeir — was forced to make several saves.
Salah seldom threatened and when he did cut in with the ball, the potential danger was quickly averted. Marmoush came on as the play-off passed the hour mark to try and boost a blunt strike force.
But as the match entered the final 10 minutes there was no sign of Osimhen being brought on, suggesting he might not have been fully fit.
In quick succession, Adams, then Marmoush threatened to score, but neither could deliver the finishing touch under pressure from opponents.
Salah then disappointed when offered a scoring opportunity from a free-kick outside the box. He hit the ball straight into the wall and it was swiftly cleared.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, the President praised the team for their resilience and professionalism, noting that the players rose above the disappointment of their semi-final defeat to hosts Morocco earlier in the week to finish the tournament strongly.
The Super Eagles secured third place after overpowering Egypt, a seven-time AFCON champion, in the bronze medal match.
Nigeria dominated proceedings during regulation time before edging their opponents in a tense penalty shootout.
President Tinubu said the victory was a clear reflection of the determination and can-do spirit that define Nigeria, describing the team’s response to adversity as exemplary.
“Despite their good run during the tournament, the Eagles lost the semi-final match to Morocco during the penalty shootout last Wednesday, and our people’s hopes of winning the championship were dashed.
“However, our players remained undaunted, and exhibiting the resilience of the Nigerian spirit, their efforts have now paid off”, the President said.
The President noted that Nigerians would take pride in seeing the team receive their medals at the official ceremony on Sunday in Rabat, where the tournament is being concluded.
“We will all be proud of them as they receive their hard-earned bronze medal. Thank you, our gallant Super Eagles. Thank you, our national team players. This bronze medal surely feels good like gold”, he added.
The Cottagers have been without their Nigerian trio since they departed for the tournament in Morocco, with all three in excellent form and integral to Silva’s starting lineup prior to their departure.
Despite their absence, Fulham have fared remarkably well, losing just one of their last seven games in all competitions while playing without the Nigerian contingent.
The players are expected to return to West London shortly, as Nigeria conclude their campaign against Egypt in the third-place match on Saturday.
“This is the last game the three players at AFCON will miss,” Silva said, according to Jack Kelly.
“When you have all the squad available, you’re going to be stronger as a team. Like when Kenny, King or Muniz will be back – they will be very important for us.”
The defeat to Leeds leaves Fulham 10th in the Premier League table with 31 points as they head into the final four months of the season.
After the third-place playoff, Bassey, Iwobi and Chukwueze are expected to leave Morocco together immediately and should be available for Fulham’s game against Brighton at Craven Cottage on January 24.
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