Former stay-away Tevez wants to extend City deal

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) –

Manchester City‘s Carlos Tevez (L) shoots past Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina to score during their English Premier League match on August 26. Tevez insists he wants to stay with the Premier League champions beyond the two years remaining on his current contract.

Carlos Tevez, the Manchester City forward who spent much of last season refusing to play for the club, now insists he wants to stay with the Premier League champions beyond the two years remaining on his current contract.

The Argentina striker’s impressive form continued at Liverpool where he scored City’s second goal, following an horrendous error by home defender Martin Skrtel, to secure his side a point in a 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

This time last year, Tevez was about to stage his notorious ‘strike’ in which he refused to play for the club following a disagreement with manager Roberto Mancini during a Champions League tie at Bayern Munich.

But having spent much of last season in his native Argentina, Tevez returned to England and helped City to the title.

Now, the forward claims he will not only see out his remaining two seasons but would consider playing for the Eastlands club beyond that.

Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel (2nd R) scores a header during their English Premier League match against Manchester City on August 26. Skrtel, who scored the opening goal, gifted Premier League champions Manchester City their second equaliser, and a point, in an absorbing 2-2 draw.

“Yeah, I’d have no problem staying,” said Tevez. “I have two years on my contract and, yeah, I could stay longer.

“The new season is good for me. I have lost seven kilos (15 pounds), so that’s good for me and the club. Last year was difficult for me. After I came back, I played and we were champions. That was the best bit of last season.

“A year ago, was the most difficult bit. Now is now. The problems of last season are finished. Now I’m happy, Roberto is happy, the club is happy. The problem is finished.

“I play all the time for my family, my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters in Argentina. It is difficult for me because they are in Argentina, but this is my job and I like football.”

Tevez was gifted his equaliser — his 100th goal in English football — thanks to a dreadful slip and back pass from Skrtel, which completed the scoring after Skrtel himself had headed an opener.

Skrtel’s goal was equalised by Yaya Toure before Luis Suarez restored Liverpool’s lead from a well-struck free-kick.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini gestures during their English Premier League match against Liverpool on August 26. “If he plays like that of course he can stay … sure!” Mancini says of Carlos Tevez’s wish to stay at the club.

“Carlos is on good form at the moment and I’m happy for him,” said Mancini. “If he plays like that of course he can stay … sure!”

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, still searching for his first league win as Reds boss, backed Skrtel, despite his error.

“I commend Martin’s courage,” he said. “The easiest thing is to smash the ball up the pitch, then they have it back and they’re on the attack again.

“It was a wonderful header for our first goal and he has been a real stalwart all the time I have been here,” the former Swansea boss added.

With only five days remaining in the transfer window following the game, both managers also revealed they expect to be busy in the coming days although they each insisted City’s reported interest in Liverpool defender Daniel Agger is at an end.

“Daniel was never for sale anyway,” said Rodgers. “Daniel likes playing for Liverpool, I wasn’t wanting to lose him. That’s the end of it.”

While Rodgers claimed he was “hopeful” of signing new talent, Mancini seemed far more desperate to add to a squad which he has long since claimed is not deep enough to challenge for the Champions League.

“I need to bring players in,” Mancini said. “We have worked for this and now we have five days to do it.

“We should work hard,” the Italian added. “It is going to be a long week. We have our targets and I hope we can close them in the next five days.”

Swansea midfielder Scott Sinclair remains strongly tipped to move to City before the window shuts on Friday.