Manchester City fans' Tevez mania shows John Terry the new challenge on offer

It was not quite on the scale of Cristiano Ronaldo's unprecedented 80,000-strong welcoming party at Real Madrid.

But Tezmania swept across Manchester City yesterday and the loyal fans who turned out to welcome Carlos Tevez more than matched their Madrid counterparts in terms of fervour.

City's fans put to one side their innate hostility towards their local rivals United by embracing the former Old Trafford striker as one of their own following his £25million switch.

And if Tevez can generate such hysteria, fighting his way through a delirious mob, imagine the scenes should Chelsea and England skipper John Terry decide to follow him to City.

Although Chelsea last night claimed to have succeeded in persuading Terry to stay at Stamford Bridge, City boss Mark Hughes said the 28-year-old needed a new challenge.

City have been encouraged by the response from the Terry camp, so it was clear Hughes was speaking with first-hand knowledge of what the defender is thinking as he ponders his future.

"We'd like to think we could offer John a different challenge," said Hughes, a claim that is certain to infuriate the Chelsea hierarchy in their efforts to keep their skipper.

"From my own experience, when you've been with a club a long time, you maybe get to a point when you need a new challenge.

"You perhaps get to a stage when you think a change of scenery would just reignite certain things within you.

"It's not a question of money, it's about a different challenge, a different stage in your life and career.

"Maybe that's why there hasn't been a response - because John is seriously thinking in those terms. I went through that process myself and I can understand if that's the way he's thinking.

"We made an offer to Chelsea and I've made known my feelings about John. He's an outstanding player and an outstanding person.

"If the opportunity presents itself to bring a player of his calibre to the club we will do our utmost to bring that about.

"But obviously we need conversations with Chelsea in that regard. We'd like the opportunity to speak to John but as yet that hasn't been forthcoming."

As well as Terry, City are chasing Everton defender Joleon Lescott and Hughes said: "We're trying to get players who will help us compete against the top clubs in the Premier League and Europe. To break into that top four is harder in this country than any other because of the quality ahead of us.

"There are some people who think we have absolutely no chance of being successful this season or in the years to come.

"But we have a different view.

"All we are trying to do is make sure the players we bring in are those who can drive this club forward and enable us to have the success that we all crave.

"We're not standing still. I think people recognise now that we're here to stay and that we're going to have a real go at it."

HUGHES' STRIKING OPTIONS

Carlos Tevez: £25m from Man Utd
Roque Santa Cruz: £17m from Blackburn
Craig Bellamy: £10m from West Ham
Robinho: £32.5m from Real Madrid
Emmanuel Adebayor? £25m from Arsenal?
Felipe Caecido: £5m from FC Basel
Valeri Bojinov: £8m from Fiorentina
Benjani: £4m from Portsmouth
Ched Evans: City Academy graduate.

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