Carlos Tevez to Leave Manchester United

Manchester United confirmed this morning that Carlos Tevez will be leaving Old Trafford after two years at the club.

A statement on the club's offical website stated that United had "agreed to pay the option price of £25.5 million and offered Carlos a five-year contract which would have made him one of its highest-paid players."

However, Tevez's advisers told the club that he "does not wish to continue playing for Manchester United."

Tevez will be the second high-profile departure from Old Trafford this summer, as fellow forward Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to join Spanish giant Real Madrid.

United has been strongly linked with Wigan's Antonio Valencia, and Tevez's departure makes this move seem even more likely to occur.

Tevez was a very popular player with Manchester United fans; during the last months of his time at the club his name was often sung at Old Trafford along with chants of "Fergie, sign him up."

However, he seemed to be getting increasingly frustrated with being left on the substitutes' bench, losing playing time to summer signing Dimitar Berbatov.

Tevez may not need to look far for his next home. After expressing a desire to remain in the English Premier League, cross-city rivals Manchester City have the finances to match any demands made by Tevez's adviser Kia Joorabchian.

Tevez would join Gareth Barry at Eastlands, with Roque Santa Cruz expected to sign in the next few days, as Mark Hughes looks to build a squad capable of a top-four finish.