Report: Agent says Milan is first choice for Tevez

MILAN (AP):Carlos Tevez's agent says a move to AC Milan is the Argentina striker's preferred option as he seeks to end a controversial spell at Manchester City, according to an Italian newspaper.

Kia Joorabchian had a two-hour meeting with Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani at the club's headquarters on Thursday.

"It was a constructive dialogue which left me feeling happy," Joorabchian was quoted as saying in an interview published yesterday in Gazzetta dello Sport. "Milan is the best solution at the moment, his first choice. Carlos wants to wear the Milan shirt."

City manager Roberto Mancini has said that Tevez's decision to return to Argentina without permission had ended any hope the forward had of playing for the Premier League club again.

Tevez has still not returned to Manchester and recently missed a scheduled meeting with the Premier League leaders to discuss his future.

Mancini refused to answer questions about the matter in his weekly news conference Friday, emphatically stating, "I do not want to speak about Carlos Tevez."

Tevez has not played since apparently refusing an instruction from Mancini to warm up during a Champions League game against Bayern Munich in September.

City fined Tevez four weeks' wages last month but were forced to halve it after England's players' union intervened.

"In reality the problem is only with Mancini, not with the club," Joorabchian added. "Carlos has been clear with the club, the only consequence was a fine.

"However, it's obvious they're interested in resolving the situation."

Massimiliano Allegri's team is not the only option in Italy for Tevez. Juventus is also said to be interested but a meeting with the player's representatives on Friday was reportedly postponed.

Inter Milan had an offer rejected by City in the summer according to Joorabchian. Inter coach Claudio Ranieri is remaining coy on whether the club is planning to renew its efforts in January.

"Are you convinced Inter isn't interested in Tevez?" Ranieri said yesterday. "I've aroused your suspicions now by saying that."

Tevez is under contract with City until 2014. It will reportedly cost $5.3 million to take the 27-year-old forward on loan and a further $26.5 million to make the transfer permanent in the summer. A stumbling block could be the wages, with Tevez earning around $13.2 million a season at City.

Milan are hunting for a striker, with Antonio Cassano set to miss the rest of the season as he recovers from heart surgery.

Tevez, however, would not be eligible for the Champions League after featuring for City against Napoli at the beginning of the campaign.

Tevez has long been linked with a move to Italy, despite the Argentina striker saying several times he wishes to return to South America to be closer to his family, including his two daughters who live with his wife in Buenos Aires.