Tevez: United fans will forgive

The Argentine forward is confident fans of the Premier League champions will forgive him for leaving the club.

Carlos Tevez could turn from hero to villain with United supporters if he, as expected, joins Manchester City.

Carlos Tevez is confident that Manchester United fans will forgive him for leaving the club. The Argentine's contract with the English Premier League champions has now come to an end and he is currently a free agent. He has been linked with moves to Manchester City and Chelsea, but is not expecting a rough reception from United fans if he comes up against them next season.

"They have to remember that at least, as far as I know, I have been thrown out of the club and I have to study the best offers available," he said. After a two-year loan deal, Tevez turned down a five-year deal at United last month and since then has been the subject of much transfer speculation. Tevez is adamant that United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, gave him no other options, and his resolution is backed up by his advisor, Kia Joorabchian.

He believes that after the team's 4-1 defeat from Liverpool last March, Ferguson had been acting in a way that almost pointed towards the defeat being fully Tevez's fault. "It has come about because I could not stand my sporting situation at Manchester United any longer," Tevez said. He added: "I gave everything for Manchester United and people know that. For that reason, I don't deserve the way things have ended up."

Meanwhile, the former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness is confident Michael Owen will do well for Manchester United following his free transfer. Despite persisting doubts over Sir Alex Fergusons' decision to take on the 29-year-old England striker, Souness believes that if it works out for him, this could be Owen's deal of the season. "I think the move will excite him and give him a whole new lease of life," he said.

"He will also be in the best environment in terms of treatment off the field and that is important to any player of his age." Four years ago, when Newcastle manager, Souness signed Owen for a fee of £17million (Dh101.9m). But the move ended badly after the club's relegation last season, in addition to him suffering several consecutive injuries which saw him make only 65 starts and lose his place in the England squad.

"He was Newcastle's top player at the time and all of that onus was on him," Souness said. "At United he will be just another player and surrounded by really good teammates who can give him the service he needs." In other news, the Premier League newcomers Wolves have completed the signing of the defender Ronald Zubar from Marseille to take their number of pre-season acquisitions to six. The 23-year-old has signed a four-year contract with the Black Country club, who are back in the top flight after winning last season's Coca-Cola Championship title.

"Ronald is a quick, powerful defender who has played for the French U21 team," the Wolves manager Mick McCarthy said. "He has got Champions League experience and he will prove a very valuable addition to the squad." Zubar is set to join Wolves on their pre-season tour of Australia, with the former Celtic defender Bobo Balde also expected to travel as McCarthy decides whether to offer the centre-back a contract.

So far this summer Wolves have signed Nenad Milijas, Greg Halford, Kevin Doyle, Andrew Surman and Marcus Hahnemann. Sunderland have sold Michael Chopra back to Cardiff City, just two years after they bought him for £5m. The Championship club have re-signed him for around £4m. [e-mail]