'Man Utd should have shown me more respect if they didn't want me to leave'

Carlos Tevez revealed that a perceived lack of respect from Manchester United was the catalyst for his controversial move to rivals Manchester City. The Argentinian is one of only 14 players to have donned the shirts of both Manchester clubs, and he enjoyed considerable success on both sides of the city.

After sealing a two-year loan deal with the Red Devils, Tevez quickly became an integral part of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad. Teaming up with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, the forward netted 19 goals in all competitions during his debut season at Old Trafford, helping United clinch both the Premier League and Champions League titles.

Despite securing another Premier League winner's medal and his first League Cup victory with United, Tevez found himself playing second fiddle to new signing Dimitar Berbatov. His reduced role, starting just 18 league games compared to 31 in his first season, didn't sit well with Tevez, who made it clear he intended to leave the club once his loan deal expired.

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Speaking to Loaded magazine at the time, he said: "I think I deserved more respect than what was shown. It was very strange. In the first year everything went very well - I was part of the team and felt like I was important to the coach and the club.

"But in the second, there was a big change. There was no communication with the manager and I began to feel as if I was not wanted. Every footballer will say that if they do not feel wanted, then it is the beginning of the end."

Despite Tevez's claim that feeling unwanted prompted his departure, former United chief executive David Gill offered a contrasting perspective on the situation. Having spent 16 years at the club and serving as chief executive from 2003 to 2013, the 68-year-old believed Tevez's exit revolved around playing time and his representatives' desire to secure more lucrative terms at City.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand's Five podcast, Gill said: "Well Tevez, we had him for two years, and we had the right to buy him for £25.5m, and we exercised the option to do that. I think you, you will know it better than I, but whereas in the first season it was him, Wayne [Rooney] and Cristiano [Ronaldo] up front, the second season we brought in Dimitar [Berbatov] and things like that.

"So perhaps he wasn't in the team as much. I think ultimately the people who controlled him, because he wasn't owned by a club. We weren't dealing with a club, it's is the people we did the deal with to get him in for the two years. Fully cleared by the Premier League, FA, I hasten to add.

"They basically got a lot more money by taking him to City. That was it. That became a financial thing for them. I think if Carlos had been insistent on staying at Manchester United, then he could have stayed at Manchester United because we said we were prepared to pay that money for him to stay.

"But ultimately he felt, for whatever reason, better opportunities at City or whatever it wasn't going to work out because the owners of his rights, so to speak, it's not allowed anymore but at the time it was, the owners of his rights effectively almost doubled their money I believe."

Tevaz's loyalties may have been split as City thumped United 3-0 in the opening Manchester derby of the season on Sunday. Phil Foden opened the scoring for the Blues before Erling Haaland topped up with a brace in the second half.

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