Milan losing ground in Tevez pursuit

The recent resurgence of Inter in the Serie A and Milan’s status as defending champions are nicely setting up what should be an intense and fiercely fought Milan derby on Monday. Of course, fireworks are always expected whenever these two sides meet at the San Siro. But, with the Nerazzurri desperate to continue their climb up the table – to ensure a Champions League spot for next season or even a bid for the title – along with Milan’s desire to maintain their grip at the top there is perhaps more at stake in this coming encounter than in previous ones.

Not that this was enough to stoke the fires of this bitter rivalry, this week Inter reintroduced their transfer policy of ‘let’s copy Milan’s transfer policy’. They did this with Kaka and now they are doing it with Carlos Tevez after Massimo Moratti submitted a formal offer to Manchester City for the troublesome Argentine.

And there seems a real chance that Moratti’s hijacking of Milan’s approach for Carlitos could be successful. Milan have only been willing to offer City a loan deal with the option to buy after six months based on performances. The problem is that the Citizens, most understandably, just want to get rid of their former captain who has not played for months now and Inter’s offer is much more aligned to this. It is a simpler proposal; €25 million plus bonuses. One suspects that the oil-rich English side will be much more tempted by this deal despite Tevez’s apparent determination to adorn our famous red and black stripes;  which his employers will care little for.

The player is seemingly convinced that regardless of which coloured stripes he will be wearing, he will be living in Milan after he reportedly rented an apartment in the city centre this past week.

While it is more common place for an Argentine moving to the fashion capital to play for Inter di merda, with Brazilians more inclined to head to the Milanello, seeing Tevez snatched from our grasp after such a long and arduous courting will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many Milanisti, including yours truly.

Up to now the sticking point in Milan’s attempt to seal the deal for Tevez has been the failure to reach an agreement with City. And though the club had been willing to wait patiently, Inter’s interest could throw a spanner in the works as the plot in this transfer tale thickens. Indeed, there have been reports that even Paris Saint-Germain – desperate to land a high profile signing after failed attempts for Kaka and David Beckham – could also show up with their own proposal. Should the French club do so, backed by the wealth of their Qatari owners Milan will most certainly struggle to compete on price. Competing with Inter for a player is one thing, but, competing with PSG – these days anyway – is another.

It really is becoming rather complicated now. It seems that unless Adriano Galliani is willing to up his offer – which he has so far refused to do despite City’s demands – his move for Tevez may just get away from him.

It now has essentially escalated already into a bidding-war and this will really test Milan’s commitment to buying Tevez. I suspect that one of the main reasons why Galliani went after the striker in the first place was because he was (and still is) an outcast and that because of this he may have thought he could have got him for a discount price. This is typical Galliani.

But, this is no longer the case. The player who is in exile on the golf coures of his homeland while his employers lead the Premier League title race has become, rather incredibly, hot property in this January transfer window.

While I do not want to see Milan up the ante to sign such a fickle and disloyal mercenary losing the race for his signature to Inter will be losing the derby that is currently being played off the pitch and less face it, not one tifo di Milan will like seeing this.

It is also the case that having gone this far it would be silly to simply give up now especially when Tevez has made it known that he wants to become a Rossonero. This despite the fact that he will be no closer to home than he is Manchester which has been one of the reasons for his unsettledness in northern England.

The whole affair has evolved into a downright pickle, a scrap being played out by the wily Galliani, the opportunistic Moratti and now, possibly, some Sheikhs from the gulf. A complicated mess that we now cannot escape, but, rather have to persevere with in the hope that the even more complicated Tevez and his desire to play for Milan is enough to override all the forces pushing and swaying this saga one way and now the other.