Former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez has claimed Sir Alex Ferguson broke a promise before his departure from Old Trafford, prompting him to join arch-rivals Manchester City. He also admitted the fallout left him wanting to “kill” Gary Neville.
Tevez made the controversial move from United, where he had been on loan, to City in 2009. He later won the Premier League for a third time and famously held up a banner reading “RIP Fergie” during Manchester City’s 2012 title celebrations.
The former Argentina international subsequently attempted to explain his actions, but has now said Ferguson was ultimately responsible for his decision to leave Manchester United.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents channel, Tevez said: ‘They spoke to me before the two-year loan. After that, if you play well, we will pay for the contract after one year.
‘Fergie told me, “Carlos, now I’m going to pay out your contract and you’re going to stay in Manchester.” The team went away for pre-season. I remember that conversation with Fergie. He said, “I’m going to pay for Berbatov, but you don’t worry. I’m going to buy you and we’ll sort out your contract.”’
That did not happen, however, and United declined to pay the fee required to make Tevez’s loan deal permanent. He remained at the club for another season before eventually leaving.
Carlos Tevez (left) has suggested that a broken promise from Sir Alex Ferguson (right) led to his Manchester United exit
The Argentine forward famously displayed an “RIP Fergie” banner after Manchester City won the Premier League
Tevez’s transfer also sparked a bitter dispute with former Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville
‘The people understand me,’ Tevez said of United supporters, who have remained divided over his decision to leave. ‘They don’t understand what Fergie said to me or what happened behind the scenes. I think people don’t understand what happened between Ferguson and me.’
He continued: ‘I think Ferguson had six months from the day we spoke to keep his word, but he didn’t. Instead, he started leaving me on the bench. In my mind, he began pushing me aside so he could reduce my value. That was what hurt me most.’
Tevez’s move across Manchester, despite City’s reputation at the time as United’s underachieving neighbours, caused considerable resentment at Old Trafford. He recalled that Neville was particularly vocal in his criticism.
‘We went to play against them — you wanted to kill Gary Neville?’ Ferdinand recalled, with Tevez agreeing that he had ‘wanted to fight’.
Another player who felt Tevez’s anger during that first clash was Rafael, although Tevez acknowledged that the Brazilian was simply ‘aggressive and young’.
‘But that was on the pitch,’ he stressed. ‘Gary Neville was speaking in the press.’
Ferdinand said he could see the anger in Tevez’s eyes after the striker felt Neville had been speaking too openly about his departure from Manchester United.
‘Gary said that I didn’t respect Ferguson,’ Tevez added. ‘He didn’t understand me. He didn’t understand the situation.’
Ferdinand also reflected that the bitter episode had ‘killed’ Manchester United.
Tevez left Manchester United for arch-rivals Manchester City in 2009 and won another league title
United went on to win the Premier League at the end of the 2012-13 season, but they have not lifted the league trophy since.
Despite everything that followed his departure, Tevez — now a manager who was most recently in charge of Talleres in his native Argentina — still appears to retain affection for Manchester United.
‘For me, it was hard, Rio,’ he said. ‘It was difficult because I felt I had given my heart to United, but I didn’t feel that same connection in return.
‘I didn’t feel the same because, if you remember, we won the Champions League and the league. Then, to reduce my value, they brought in another player. I continued in the same way during the first months — or, let’s say, the first part of my second season. But by the second month, I didn’t want to know anything more.’
He added: ‘I had a great time at United. City, for me, was a form of revenge. I didn’t get back what I had given.’
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Watch the full interview on the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel, available from 8.00 UK time on Thursday, October 29.
