ABU DHABI // Manchester City's newest recruit, Argentine striker Carlos Tevez, has revealed he turned down a clutch of top English and European clubs to sign for City.
Confirming Liverpool and Chelsea also enquired about securing his services, Tevez - speaking at press conference in Abu Dhabi yesterday where Manchester City were staying before travelling on to South Africa for a pre-season tour - also revealed Spanish giants Real Madrid contacted his representatives proposing a switch to the Spanish capital.
"Real made an offer but there was no agreement," said Tevez. "There were talks about deals and agreements but in the end it was only City."
No player's arrival has underlined Manchester City's emergence as a genuine Premier League force more than that of the diminutive forward.
The enigmatic workhorse, idolised at former clubs Boca Juniors and West Ham, left City's cross-town rivals earlier this summer when Manchester United failed to finalise a long-term contract for a player their fans adored.
As the Red Devils dithering as they chased a third title in a row, United fans held up banners at games saying: "Sign him up Fergie."
Too late, Ferguson tried, but feeling unwanted by the months of smokescreens and delays which had emanated from the corridors Old Trafford, Tevez let his two-year deal run down and headed for the exit door.
As he divulged yesterday, there were no shortage of clubs queuing for his signature.
However, City's relentless pursuit persuaded Tevez of his next stop.
Hughes, fresh from missing out on Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o, had beaten three Champions League clubs to his £25 million (Dh150.5m) man.
"I'm sad to leave United, but I'm excited to join City. I'm thinking about the future and I'll grow with this club," Tevez said, adding: "They showed lots of interest in me and are intent on growing and signing big players."
Tevez will form a new-look City attack this season, lining up alongside £18m Roque Santa Cruz and Sheikh Mansour's original glamour signing, the £32m Brazilan, Robinho.
With the club also hoping to complete negotiations for the £25m transfer of Arsenal's Togolese striker Emmanual Adebayor, the front four City hope will push them into Champions League contention this year will have cost a combined £100m.
City also announced that they will play a friendly against the UAE national team at Zayed Sports City Stadium on Nov 12.
emegson@thenational.ae
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How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Biog:
Age: 34
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite sport: anything extreme
Favourite person: Muhammad Ali
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador
Abu Dhabi card
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
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