Tevez can leave City for less than £50m

Argentina's Carlos Tevez could leave Manchester City, if Corinthians make an improved third offer for the striker. Photograph: Marcos Brindicci/Reuters

Manchester City will sell Carlos Tevez to Corinthians if the Brazilian club make an improved offer above the ?39m they lodged on Friday, with the hierarchy at Eastlands prepared to countenance a price below their stated valuation of ?50m because he would be playing outside Europe.

City are also mindful to take a compassionate view of the 27-year-old's desire to move back to South America to be near his family. It is thought that if a further ?3-5m was offered, the City captain would be allowed to leave.

Corinthians may have to act quickly and make a third bid over the coming hours due to their self-imposed deadline of Sunday. The transfer window in Brazil closes on Wednesday and Andres Sanchez, the Corinthians president, has said that if the deal does not happen by Sunday it cannot happen this year.

While Real Madrid are the only other club who retain a firm interest in Tevez, City are relaxed about the situation. Although they would not ideally want to keep an unhappy player at the club they would be prepared for the Argentina forward to still be a City player on 1 September when the transfer window closes, as there are no doubts regarding his commitment whenever Tevez plays.

While Roberto Mancini confirmed he hopes to buy Arsenal's Samir Nasri at some juncture, the City manager also said that he views Tevez's countryman, Sergio Aguero, as his ideal replacement.

After the 23-year-old Atletico Madrid forward revealed on Friday he would like to play in the Premier League, Mancini told Sky Sports News: "Aguero is a player that can play for Manchester City because he is young and he is a good player like Carlos. He can score a lot of goals and can play with Mario [Balotelli], with Edin [Dzeko] ... it could be [that he joins]."

With Scott Parker, West Ham United's midfielder, interesting Chelsea, the Hammers might now miss out on Eidur Gudjohnsen after reports from Greece suggested AEK Athens had offered the 32-year-old a two-year contract.

The Icelander had a medical at West Ham on Thursday, with the club deciding what terms to offer him after assessing the deal. It is thought that West Ham tabled a one-year contract to Gudjohnsen, who played for Sam Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers, where he scored 27 goals in 77 appearances before making a ?5million move to Chelsea in 2000.

Gudjohnsen has come close to moving to Upton Park before, in January 2010, only to change his mind and join Tottenham instead. After Carlton Cole's proposed move to Stoke City fell through, West Ham moved to clarify his position. A club statement said: "Carlton has not asked for a transfer and has remained committed to the club at all times. In being given permission to talk to Stoke, the negotiations did not break down as a result of him asking for too much money. He was discussing wage parity with other key players and was well within his right to do so."

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Carlos Tevez waits for improved offer as City line up Sergio Agüero

Carlos Tevez is hoping to secure a move but could remain at Manchester City if the club's valuation of the player is not met. Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

Carlos Tevez is sweating on Corinthians tabling an improved bid to Manchester City before the Brazilian club's Sunday deadline, with the Eastlands hierarchy still holding out for ?50m.

Although a compromise may be struck somewhere in between that and Corinthians' initial offer of ?35m, City will not countenance a loan deal – similar to the one that allowed Robinho to join Santos in 2010 – for the striker, who is desperate to return to his old club.

City rejected Corinthians' original offer, with Sheikh Mansour, the owner, content to retain the unsettled Tevez at the club for another season if his valuation of the 27-year-old is not met.

Andres Sanchez, the Corinthians president, claimed on Friday that Juventus had entered the race to sign Tevez by lodging a ?45m bid, although that was denied by City. It is now up to the South American side to find the extra cash to fund an increased offer, although Tevez, the Premier League's highest paid player on ?250,000 a week, would have to accept a dramatic cut to his wages.

While Real Madrid are the other club who retain a keen interest in the Argentinian, his countryman Sergio Aguero suggested that he would like to leave Atletico Madrid for City. The 23-year-old striker is viewed by Roberto Mancini, the City manager, as the best replacement for Tevez, although the club will have to meet his release clause of ?38m.

Aguero told the Argentinian station Radio La Red: "I have made clear in my statement that I do not see myself at Atletico. I will seek the best for me, I know that my representatives are working and for now I don't want to think about it. I will do something after the Copa America, when I am able to think calmly.

"But if I said I saw myself at Atletico, I'd be lying. I'd prefer to play in Spain or England – those are the two best countries. I have given everything for the shirt and I have had a lot of fun but as far as my future is concerned, don't bet on anything."

Beyond Aguero, Jose Mourinho, the Real manager, is thought to favour a permanent move for Emmanuel Adebayor, who spent five months on loan at the Bernabeu from Manchester City last season, and is currently unsettled at the club.

Shay Given is one player who appears certain to leave Eastlands. The Irish goalkeeper is closing in on a move to Aston Villa after he failed to make a single Premier League appearance last season. Shaun Wright-Phillips, the City winger, is also reportedly interesting Alex McLeish, the Villa manager.

Yaya Toure, meanwhile, stated that City expect to win the Premier League next season. The midfielder told the club's website: "The new season will be very, very hard and we need to improve, because this season the club will play in the Champions League [for the first time]. We expect to stay in the top four of the Premier League and we expect to win the Premier League because now we are coming with more confidence, the players know each other better. I think this year will be fantastic for us."

Toure, who scored the winning goals in the semi-final and final of the FA Cup, expects his brother, Kolo, to make a successful return to playing action after his six-month suspension for failing a drugs test. He said: "Kolo's well. He's in New York with the family. We hope September will come quickly and we hope to help the club win something again next year."

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Corinthians increase Tevez bid to £40m

Carlos Tevez is keen to join his former club Corinthians, who have tabled a new ?40m bid for the Manchester City striker. Photograph: AP

Corinthians have made an improved offer of ?40m for the Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez in the hope of concluding a deal before the Brazilian club's self-imposed deadline of Sunday night.

City have been asking for ?50m and turned down a ?35m bid from Corinthians last week. Although the Premier League club have indicated a willingness to compromise, the suggestion before the latest offer was lodged was that ?40m would not be enough to conclude a deal.

Corinthians have described their latest bid as a final attempt to sign Tevez and City will have to be swift in deciding whether to do business with them because the Brazilian transfer window closes on Wednesday.

So far no clubs in Europe have made a formal offer for the Argentina striker, who is desperate to leave Eastlands, although Real Madrid retain a keen interest.

City will not countenance a loan deal – similar to the one that allowed Robinho to join Santos in 2010 – for Tevez, who has indicated that his preference is to rejoin Corinthians, where he played before moving to England.

Selling Tevez to a Brazilian club would avoid him playing for one of City's competitors in the Champions League.

Sheikh Mansour, the City owner, is content to retain the unsettled Tevez at the club for another season if his valuation of the 27-year-old is not met but he is mindful that Roberto Mancini, the manager, would prefer to sell Tevez.

Andres Sanchez, the Corinthians president, claimed on Friday that Juventus had entered the race to sign Tevez by lodging a ?45m bid, although that was denied by City. The South American side have increased their offer despite saying last week that they would not go above ?35m and Tevez, the Premier League's highest-paid player on ?250,000 a week, appears willing to accept a cut to his wages to return there.

If Tevez leaves, City are likely to move for another Argentinian striker, Sergio Aguero, who has suggested that he would like to leave Atletico Madrid for Eastlands. The 23-year-old is viewed by Mancini, the City manager, as the best replacement for Tevez, although the club will have to meet his release clause of ?38m.

Aguero told the Argentinian station Radio La Red: "I have made clear in my statement that I do not see myself at Atletico. I will seek the best for me, I know that my representatives are working and for now I don't want to think about it. I will do something after the Copa America, when I am able to think calmly.

"But if I said I saw myself at Atletico, I'd be lying. I'd prefer to play in Spain or England – those are the two best countries. I have given everything for the shirt and I have had a lot of fun but as far as my future is concerned, don't bet on anything."

Beyond Aguero, Jose Mourinho, the Real manager, is thought to favour a permanent move for Emmanuel Adebayor, who spent five months on loan at the Bernabeu from City last season, and is unsettled at the club.

Shay Given is one player who appears certain to leave Eastlands. The Irish goalkeeper is closing in on a move to Aston Villa after he failed to make a single Premier League appearance last season. Shaun Wright-Phillips, the City winger, is also reportedly interesting Alex McLeish, the Villa manager.

Yaya Toure, meanwhile, stated that City expect to win the Premier League next season. The midfielder told the club's website: "The new season will be very, very hard and we need to improve, because this season the club will play in the Champions League [for the first time]. We expect to stay in the top four of the Premier League and we expect to win the Premier League because now we are coming with more confidence, the players know each other better. I think this year will be fantastic for us."

Toure, who scored the winning goals in the semi-final and final of the FA Cup, expects his brother, Kolo, to make a successful return to playing action after his six-month suspension for failing a drugs test. He said: "Kolo's well. He's in New York with the family. We hope September will come quickly and we hope to help the club win something again next year."

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