Tevez - listening to offers?

Well another week has meant another win for the top two, another bad week for Arsenal and of course another week of transfer rumours.

For months now specualtion has never really gone away that Manchester United will not stump up the reported £30 Million or so that Media Sports Investments want for him.  Carlos Tevez has become something of a fan-favourite on the Stretford End since making a two year loan move to United in August 2007. The Argentine’s first season at Old Trafford was a successful one, bagging 14 goals in 34 games as well as gaining Premier League and Champions League winners medals with the club.

This season however things haven’t been so rosey. So far Tevez has helped himself to 13 goals in 48 games giving a strike ratio of just 0.27 goals per game.  In his defence though, considering how much of the season he appears to spend warming the bench this is not too surprising. Tevez has seen competitions for places further increase at Old Trafford, mainly by the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov and now the emergence of young Frederico Macheda.

Tevez has become so popular because of his work rate, his attitude on the pitch and his determination. Chants at Sundays game of “Fergie snap him up!” were justified after a brilliant performance by the Argentina striker. For the sake of seeing things from the other side though, put yourself in the shoes of someone at boardroom level. United have an abundance in striking talent without Tevez, so £30 million on a man who is not starting weekend doesn’t seem like the best business does it? Especially when they don’t seem to have missed him on the pitch as far as success in competitions goes.

Another striker yet again surrounded by speculation is Didier Drogba. Speculation it has to be said, for quite the opposite reasons to Tevez. Unlike his Argentine counterpart, Drogba has something of an attitude problem which may have finally riled Chelsea to the point that they wish to offload him.

His incredible outburst after Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League has again thrown his Chelsea career into doubt.  The Ivorian is hardly a stranger to controversy, whether it is throwing a coin back into a crowd, diving or feigning injury –  Drogba has become something of a villain to opposition fans. What frustrates me personally, is that he is a truly gifted player with strength of an ox. In spite of being like a tank, he hits the deck the moment anyone breathes on him then feigns injury in a quite ridiculous manner. On his day the Chelsea number 11 is the complete centre forward but too often he’s too busy rolling around on the deck. 

Chelsea’s failures this season have been blamed in some part, on Drogba and Anelka’s lack of compatibility as a front two.  Anelka, who signed in January 2008 is comfortably the clubs leading marksman with 18 goals and second top scorer in the Premier League.  Should Chelsea wish to cash in on a striker it seems logical (if we are to believe the rumours) that it will be Drogba to head for the door.

Speculation in the game is always rife – particularly with the intense media coverage of football comined with the current format of the transfer ‘window’. However if both stories above are to be believed, Chelsea should get their hand in their pocket and sign Tevez under Fergies nose.