Mancini will strip Tevez of City captaincy if he doesn't join Corinthians

Roberto Mancini does not want Carlos Tevez back at Manchester City – and is prepared to strip him of the captaincy if he returns.

Mancini will be disappointed if Tevez’s £42.5million move to ­Corinthians falls through after City did everything to accommodate his transfer back to South America to be nearer his family.

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The manager is planning for the new campaign without the ­Argentinian and is closing in on a £40m swoop for Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero.

Mancini has grown tired of trying to appease Tevez and will assert his authority over him if he returns to the Etihad Stadium next month.

Mancini has earmarked Vincent Kompany to succeed Tevez as skipper and may press ahead with the change even if he stays.

Kompany is already City’s captain in everything but name and is seen by the club and the players as the voice of the dressing room.

Stripping Tevez of the captaincy would be the most public sign that the striker’s star treatment is over.

Tevez would have to fight for his place if his compatriot Aguero arrives and Mancini is keen to end the perception that City are a one-man team, who are too reliant on the former Manchester United hitman.

City are favourites ahead of Real Madrid and Juventus to activate the wantaway Aguero’s £40m release clause.

Atletico would prefer to sell Aguero to City and the Juventus offer falls short of their £40m ­valuation, while they are loathe to lose him to bitter rivals Real.

City’s talks with Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin are progressing and Mancini confirmed a formal bid is ­imminent.

“Maybe in the next days,” he said. “I have not spoken to anyone about it, but probably. I think so.”

Corinthians have until 4am tomorrow to complete Tevez’s signing before the Brazilian transfer window closes and the Sao Paulo club are contesting

City’s demands to pay the fee in four £9.6m annual instalments, plus the £3.86m add-ons.

They want to pay the first part in February and believe they have proved they have the cash to finance the deal after faxing City copies of their £35m-a-year TV deal.

Mancini said: “The clubs are talking. They only have one number and it does not work at the moment.”

Corinthians claim City have threatened the deal by inserting a clause that the first payment is made when Tevez signs.

Director of football Roberto de Andrade said: “The fee is agreed, but the problem is the method of payment. We want to start paying next year.”