Fidgety Carlos Tevez may find his options limited

Were Carlos Tevez a cartoon character, the ground the hyperactive hurricane of a striker covered would disappear into clouds of dust. Yet the non-stop running that characterises his play is mirrored in his seeming wanderlust. The general pattern is that, after two seasons anywhere, he heads for the departure lounge.

His quest to leave Manchester City, however, runs several risks. The first is that, as it was at Old Trafford, his legacy will be tarnished. Tevez was once adored by the Manchester United faithful; now he is abused by them.

He may be spared persona non grata status at Eastlands, but the notion of the captain and catalyst remaining a cult hero is unlikely, whether or not he finds new employers.

In one respect his motives are beyond criticism — a father's wish to spend more time with his daughters is entirely understandable — yet his judgement is questionable.

Given the regularity of the upheaval caused by Kia Joorabchian, his agent, City may stop pandering to him. Meanwhile, clubs with the desire and financial resources to pluck Tevez from Eastlands and give the Argentine the income to which he is accustomed are few and far between. For an outstanding footballer, he has few options.

It is possible that a man at the peak of his powers is left to sulk in the reserves. It would be an extraordinary outcome, but then Tevez's incessant movement has made his career an exercise in chaos theory. Normally it bodes badly for opponents. Now it may backfire on him.

sports@thenational.ae