Juventus: Should the Old Lady Stick or Twist with Carlos Tevez in the Summer?

When he first arrived in Turin, many expected Carlos Tevez to become a problem rather than a solution for Juventus. His career to that point—particularly in England—had seen him develop a reputation as a difficult character, one constantly at odds with his coaches and club management.

After almost taking West Ham United to court to secure his move to Manchester United, he then left Old Trafford for cross-town rivals Manchester City, where his long-running feud with Roberto Mancini saw him refuse to make a substitute appearance against Bayern Munich before returning to Argentina without permission.

Moving to Juventus for an initial fee £10 million seemed like a huge gamble, yet his signing has perhaps been the most influential transfer by the Bianconeri in many years. Instantly settling in, he took to Serie A perfectly, narrowly finishing 2013-14 behind only Ciro Immobile as the division’s leading scorer thanks to a haul of 19 league goals.

He has continued at the same pace this term, finding the back of the net on 21 occasions thus far in all competitions, while already matching last season’s tally of seven assists. With the summer fast approaching, however, speculation has begun as to whether Tevez will remain with the club for the final year of his contract.

The root of the matter is his long-standing desire to end his career with former club Boca Juniors, and the Argentinian club remains convinced that could happen this year. After meeting with the player before Christmas, their president Daniel Angelici discussed that possibility with reporters.

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“We discussed his return to Boca, without giving a precise date. He has a contract until 2016 and we respect Juventus,” he said (h/t FootballItalia). “However, if Carlos did want to come back earlier, we’d make an effort to ensure he finishes his career at his home.”

That raises the question of whether the Bianconeri should allow him to leave during the next transfer window, rather than wait a year. Looking at the impact Tevez has had since first pulling on the famous black and white stripes, the answer is simple: keep him at all costs.

The player has previously stated he has no intention of renewing his contract, making a statement which caused far more of a stir than it perhaps warranted. "I want to respect my contract until 2016," he told reporters at Buenos Aires airport (h/t Fox Soccer). "That's my plan. I don't want to extend; that's not how I feel at the moment."

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Director Beppe Marotta told reporters this week that Juventus "have a desire to keep him at the club for many more years," per beINSPORTS, but in truth they should have no issue in letting him leave at the end of the 2015-16 season.

Tevez will be 32 by then, and being tied to a massive deal to pay him beyond that date could prove foolhardy. The timing seems perfect for all three parties, the Bianconeri able to thank the striker for three years loyal service before facilitating a dream move back to Boca Juniors.

The Turin giants have much to thank Tevez for, the player’s infectious will to win now a major attribute throughout the team. The influence he has had upon the likes of Paul Pogba, Alavaro Morata and his compatriot Roberto Pereyra cannot be understated, but is visible in their play each and every week.

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There may have been initial concerns over his own attitude, but he is undoubtedly a winner, arriving in Turin with a medal haul that included a Champions League crown, three Premier League titles and the Club World Cup.

Adding the Scudetto in his first season on the peninsula, he seems to have already delivered a second to the Old Lady while also improving her chances in Europe. A vital goal against Borussia Dortmund last week has the Bianconeri in the driving seat for a place in the quarter-finals, finally beginning to transfer domestic dominance onto the continental front.

They could do even better next year, before Juventus and Carlos Tevez shake hands and go their separate ways, acting with the class and dignity his performances deserve.