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.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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