Big-spending Manchester City will face Greek side Aris Salonika in the last 32 of the Europa League, a draw which represents a rare piece of good news in an otherwise turbulent ten days at the club.

City, installed as competition favourites by bookmakers William Hill, will meet Turkish side Besiktas or Ukranians Dynamo Kiev if they pass their Greek test.

And the Eastlands outfit managed to briefly draw level with Arsenal at the top of the EPL last weekend, after a comfortable 3-1 victory at the league’s bottom club West Ham.

But the continuing saga of captain Carlos Tevez’s future at the club continues to dominate the headlines coming out of Eastlands.

 

Under-fire City boss, Italian Roberto Mancini, was set to meet with the disaffected 26-year-old when the team eventually made their weather-delayed return from their Europa League tie in Turin, after the Argentine striker handed in a written transfer request last week.

Tevez has two different reasons for wanting away. He originally cited homesickness and a desire to be back in Argentina with his family.

In response, a City statement noted that “Carlos’ representative” had been attempting to “renegotiate and improve his playing contract, as well as more recently a request to extend that contract another year.”

They also noted that Tevez “is the highest-paid player at Manchester City football club.” His transfer request was refused.

The striker has had a series of public spats with Mancini, the worst being an angry reaction to being substituted late in City’s 1-0 win over Bolton earlier this month.

But he insisted he has “no personal issue” with Mancini, instead citing the breakdown of “my relationship with certain executives and individuals at the club” as the reason for his desire to leave.

Again the club responded by claiming the actions of Tevez’s representative, Kia Joorabchian, had been “disappointing” and calling Tevez’s own claims “ludicrous and nonsensical.”

Tevez returned to training with City this week, although he was among many first-teamers omitted from City’s 1-1 Europa League draw against Juventus, Brazilian striker Jo finding the net for Mancini’s men.

And when asked if Tevez would play in City’s home EPL fixture against Everton on Monday night, Mancini replied: “Yes – he has trained since Tuesday and he doesn’t have a problem.”

Hard-tackling Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong will miss the Everton game as he is serving a one-match ban for too many bookings.