Carlos Tevez set to sign for Man City in £47.5m deal

Carlos Tevez agreed to join Manchester City TWO WEEKS ago - and will complete the s47.5 million transfer in the next few days.

Tevez decided toquit Manchester United long before the end of the season because he felt Sir Alex Ferguson did not fancy him enough to be a 'first pick' and his handlerssorted out terms with their rivals.

City agreed to pay the s25.5 million asking price of his 'owners' andwill also hand the Argentinian forward around s100,000-a-week for the next fiveseasons in a staggering pay day.

Tevez's agents have admitted privately that the City move was thrashed out in top-level meetings inthe Middle East and in Manchester well in advance of United's final attempt tokeep him.

United came up with the asking price and made a contract offer, but the Tevez camp did not even askfor more cash as they had already made up their minds to go.

The United negotiations have been merely window dressing, with the Old Trafford club alsokeen to be seen to be making the effort - even if they were fearing the outcomewas inevitable.

Ferguson is not too worried about Tevez's departure. He is more concerned about finding areplacement - and has been working on that for the past fortnight.

Tevez was initially against the City idea as he feared a fans backlash from United's supporters,but he has been advised that this is not a deal-breaking issue by his camp.

The money men behind Tevez are happy with him going to City - as Mirror Sport revealed on June 1 - because it is a big snub to United and City are now seen in the business as 'the' club to do business with and this signing may lead to others down theline.

Chelsea have been linked with Tevez but they will not match the package of fee and wages. Chief executive Peter Kenyon was with Tevez's advisor Kia Joorabchian at super-agentPini Zahavi's daughter's wedding in Israel last week.

However the Stamford Bridge outfit are unwilling to plunge so much cash into the South American's signature and will not disrupt the move to Eastlands.

Tevez's arrival is part of Mark Hughes's plan to have a new-look attack with Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz through the middle and two men wide.

Brazilian Robinho may have to look over his shoulder with the signing. Hughes is still a big fan of Craig Bellamy and the Brazilian will be under pressure for his place in that attack more than anyone.

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