CARLOS TEVEZ LOOKS poised to end his miserable 12-month spell in China with the Argentine former international in talks with his club Shanghai Shenhua to terminate his mammoth contract.
It would allow the forward to seal a rumoured return to Boca Juniors, the club he left to join Shenhua in January 2017 on an estimated โฌ730,000 a week, some of the highest wages in football.
A Shenhua spokesman told AFP on Friday that the club were in discussions with the former Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus striker to end his contract.
The spokesman declined to give further details, but Tevez is thought to be on a two-year deal.
The 33-year-old scored just four times in the Chinese Super League (CSL), missed half the matches injured or out of shape and was a notable absentee when Shenhua won the FA Cup in November.
Tevez was not in the squad for either leg of the cup final against Shanghai SIPG and flew back to Argentina just as his side lifted the trophy.
Tevez, who has often found it difficult to settle anywhere, saw his time in China unravel quickly.
He arrived in Shanghai a year ago to a heroโs welcome and was touted as a symbol of footballโs fast rise in the country.
But he soon fell out of favour with Shenhua fans who questioned his fitness and commitment.
He earned the unflattering nickname โVery Homesick Boyโ, a nod to past antics of jetting home to Argentina in times of strife, and he was accused of being overweight when new coach Wu Jingui took over at struggling Shenhua in September.
Wu later said that Tevez was working hard of his own volition to get fit and shed the bulk, but that did nothing to earn him a recall for the FA Cup final.
Tevez has been strongly linked by Argentine media with a return to Boca, where he made his name early in his career in his first stint at the club.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the yearโs best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Easonโs, or order it here today (โฌ10):
Liverpool will win with ease.
You won the village idiot award of the day already.
I donโt remember that.
You won a cuckoo clock
Nice to see Mata start again ahead of Lingard people will moan about Fellaini but was good in last two rounds.. My biggest worry is a sending off for him.
Do you think Mata will be gone next year if Jose shows up? I hope not.
Bleedin FA cup is turning into Super Bowl
Itโs sad United used to win league titles and the champions leagueโฆ.they are happy trying to get 4th every season and winning the FA cup. Paul Scholes was right United have turned into Arsenal. #eraisover
Donโt worry donโt cry..
Itโs been three season since United won last, get over yourself. No-one can stay at the top forever.
What makes you say they are happy. United fans are furious at the drop in form over the last 4 years
Classic clattenburg cock up there, how is he considered the best ref right now?
Ya heโs a disgrace, bottled sending cabaye and Delaney off. Going out to injury players is an utter disgrace . He had no problem throwing around yellows cards for hand bags but ignores leg breakers.
Palace will feel very aggrieved with that decision. Poor refereeing from Clattenberg.
You pop up infrequently but ref decisions go for or against in every game. Reality is United fans would prefer 4th over FA, just like Liverpool. Ye will do well under Klopp and you know that.
Cโmon Palace!
Haha GGMU
Scottish Cup Final 3-2 Hibernian beat Rangers, one of the best games of football I have seen for years even considering it was Scottish football
The pitch invasion after was even betterโฆ.hup the Hibees!
Disallowed goal. Answers on a postcard please.
Pardew should have a good interview if they loseโฆ.
Iโm hoping for a 2-1 win for United. I canโt see Palace making it as comfortable for United as they did at Old Trafford in April.
Martin Keown is the worst commentator
Ever !
Woohoo. Deserved win.
United are so boring to watch. Awful first half from a neutral perspective
From a neutral point of view I was looking forward to both games today. Scottish cup was brilliant, this has been really poor. Clattenberg is a wab.
Commiserations to Crystal Palace. Worthy finalists, and it could have gone either way. Congrats to Man United.
Please not another 30 mins.. #Dire
Do you not realise that you can change the channel.
Get in thereeeeeeeeee !!!!!
Ah christ Fellaini starts :-(
At least heโs not playing as a striker or attacking midโฆ
Heโs good for a few peoples elbows.
Heโll properly score then
LVG OUT.
#Moyes in.
He gone now
Expect Man Utd to win, LvG did steady the ship towards the end and looked better, just do not know which Palace team will show upโฆโฆ
How did he? They fooked fourth place awayโฆ
A top 4 finished was thrown away long before the last few games , that last few just made it still mathematically possible
4th was being fooked away by Man Cityโฆ You do actually follow what happens, right?
They fooked away a lot more then fourth place, you do actually follow what happens?
So, you gave up on your original comment? You do follow what you are saying, right?
How am I!!? Utd did fook away fourth place but previously city fooked away any chance they had of winning the league. So again, do you follow it at all??
Fooking hell lads
He properly saw van Goals tactics
PUNCHEON!!!!!
Great win for Hibs!
Damian Delaney was outstanding.Martin OโNeill, please ask Damian to play for Ireland, ignore Keane, he wonโt refuse.
Itโs o Neill that has the problem with him
I was of the option that Delaney had a problem with Keane since Ipswitch.
Ya he did have a falling out with Keane at Ipswich, but he was asked about it before and saidโ its not Roy who had the problem with me at all โ. There was talk that he would only come back if he was guaranteed a start. O Neill told him where to go
Will take it and be glad of a cup. Springboard for better things hopefully.
What sort of a dirtbag , takes off his club shirt and throws it on the ground after scoring, the mind boggles .
Yours would !
โฆโฆ.
disgraceful scenes.
oops wrong article
Just some prlck lads, move along.
Well done to Palace , a great game best final in years
It was a terrible game. What you talking about Willis
Someone tell who the second commentator on TV3 is!! Itโs driving me mad
Welsh hippy we did enjoy that .
Great win , great week for United fans
Yeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh
Years ago winning the fa cup meant something unfortunately not nowadaysโฆ
Fellaini for man of the match!