Liverpool have entered the race to sign the ever-controversial striker from Manchester City this summer, with Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus also targeting the Argentine

By Jonathan Birchall

If you momentarily put to one side the on-field sniping at Roberto Mancini, the driving disqualification, the 250 hours community service order, the talk of wanting to return to Boca Juniors, the talk of moving to Paris Saint-Germain and the talk of moving to Monaco, Carlos Tevez, with 17 goals in 39 games, has looked quite the player for Manchester City this season.

Perhaps Liverpool, who are considering a €8.2 million move for the 29-year-old this summer, are the latest club willing to turn a convenient blind eye to the indiscretions. City aren’t. They want rid of Tevez this summer.

But with a year remaining on his €233,000-a-week contract – almost double that of any potential deal from the Anfield side – Tevez somehow again holds the aces over another club at which his behaviour has been, at best, jaw-gapingly, head-shakingly brazen. The common consensus at both City and beyond is that it has been far, far worse than that.

Not for the first time, Tevez and his representative Kia Joorabchian have left City officials shifting in their seats and scratching their heads. Their options switch between offering the 29-year-old a new contract on similar terms to his current eye-watering deal, accepting a bid for far less than the roughly €28m they paid for him in 2009, or do nothing and lose the forward for no fee at all next summer.

And just as was the case on the Allianz Arena bench to which he seemed so oddly attached in September 2011, Tevez is happy to sit still as chaos ensues around him.

One more year of €57 steaks at his favourite Manchester restaurant Gaucho, the occasional round of golf with wife Vanessa, no more Mancini to boss him around at the day job and a €11.1m salary under a fellow Spanish-speaker in Manuel Pellegrini would be tolerable to a man who has at times acted as if the word simply doesn’t fall under his vocabulary.

Monaco could yet provide a solution to keep all parties happy, after already securing the services of Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Ricardo Carvalho, bankrolled by the soon-to-be Ligue 1 outfit’s billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlev. Ever the extrovert, Tevez admitted in May that he would “really like” a project like Monaco.

Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain remain an “interesting option” for the player whom many would say is lucky to even still be on City’s payroll after spending over three months of the 2011-12 season on gardening leave in Buenos Aires, in which he spent more time on his homeland’s golf courses than their football pitches.

Juventus, well aware of the 29-year-old’s delicate contractual situation, have admitted to undergoing informal talks with Tevez’s representatives in recent months, though are said to favour a move for the striker’s compatriot and Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain.

Meanwhile, City sporting director Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano are mindful that they must amass around €47m from player sales and wage bill savings if they are to secure their ideal €140m-rated shortlist of six summer targets, headed by the man they see as Tevez’s ideal replacement in Edinson Cavani.

€29.5m new boy Fernandinho and Jesus Navas, who is set to be confirmed as a City player this week, have been targeted alongside, Isco, Thiago Alcantara, Diego Novaretti and Cavani by Etihad Stadium officials ahead of the transfer window, with the likes of Edin Dzeko, Javi Garcia and Samir Nasri all being made available to leave the club in the next few months.

It is an unhappy, ludicrous marriage of convenience.

Tevez doesn’t like Manchester, and Manchester is proving increasingly less fond of him, yet both he and City are set to come together to ensure he remains a valuable asset for his employers, as well as one of the game’s best-paid players. You can’t help but wonder if he really even cares anymore.

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The Liverpool striker was back in action for his country against France and took just five minutes to find the back of the net as Uruguay snatched a friendly win

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has scored his first goal since being banned for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April.

The striker was in action for Uruguay against France in an international friendly but started the game on the bench.

The wantaway star – who has indicated his desire to leave Anfield – entered the action after half-time and it took him just five minutes to find the back of the net with the only goal of the game as Uruguay beat France 1-0 in Montevideo.

The striker was stretchered from the field during England’s 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland on May 29, and will now miss most of the club’s pre-season preparations

Liverpool are hopeful that striker Daniel Sturridge will be fit in time for the 2013-14 season after his ankle injury was reviewed by a specialist.

The striker was stretchered from the field during England’s 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland at Wembley last month following a challenge with Glenn Whelan and immediately withdrew from the trip to Brazil scheduled four days later.

England manager Roy Hodgson said after the game that Sturrdige could face “a few weeks” out with ankle ligament damage, and Liverpool have now confirmed that the 23-year-old’s sprain will see him miss most of pre-season preparations.

“Liverpool hope to have striker Daniel Sturridge available for the beginning of the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League campaign,” a statement on the club’s official website read.

“Sturridge’s ankle injury has been reviewed by a specialist. The 23-year-old picked up the problem while representing England against the Republic of Ireland last Wednesday and was withdrawn during the first half at Wembley.

“He suffered a high ankle sprain and Liverpool’s medical staff had to allow the swelling to reduce before a final assessment was made.”