Ferguson still hopes Tevez will stay

Sir Alex Ferguson hopes when he looks at his medals at the end of the season Carlos Tevez thinks Manchester United is the place to be after all.

Tevez set alarm bells ringing at Old Trafford earlier this week when he recorded a radio interview in South America during which he claimed it was likely he would leave United when his two-year loan ends.

"I think he genuinely wants to stay here," said Ferguson. "That is something we are trying to work towards. I have told him that repeatedly."

Frustrated at a perceived lack of opportunities, the former West Ham star has had offers from Spain and Italy, although he has not totally ruled out the possibility of remaining in England.

And Ferguson certainly has not ruled out the possibility of Tevez staying at United, where the 25-year-old won both the Premier League title and the Champions League last term and could yet repeat the feat this year.

Ferguson added: "Maybe at the end of the season if he has won something or achieved something, he will look at the overall picture and realise he has made a contribution. I think he will stay. I hope he does."

Although Tevez established himself as a first-choice member of Ferguson's starting line-up in his debut season at Old Trafford after joining in a complicated move from West Ham, with his advisor Kia Joorabchian apparently getting a small 'fee' for the deal, appearances this year have been severely restricted.

The arrival of £30.75 front-man Dimitar Berbatov, plus the increasing use of Cristiano Ronaldo as an orthodox front player has kept Tevez out.

And clearly the Argentinian does not view games like Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Everton, when Ferguson decided to field four teenagers, as the same standard as a Champions League quarter-final with FC Porto, to which he contributed just 18 minutes.

"Carlos has played more minutes that Rooney and Berbatov this season," argued Ferguson. "He has played in quite a few big games. I don't want him to be unhappy that's for sure because he is an important player for us."