TURIN, Italy — Carlos Tevez will return to Boca Juniors, the club where he made his soccer debut when he was only 17 years old, after 11 years playing abroad.
According to several media sources, Boca’s President Daniel Angelici reached an agreement over Tevez with his Juventus counterpart, Giuseppe Marotta, in Turin.
Boca would pay the Italian Scudetto champion five million euros for the striker. The transaction includes the loan of Boca’s Guido Vadalá for two years.
The 31-year-old striker will be officially introduced at La Bombonera stadium on July 7 after his participation with the Argentina national team in the Copa América in Chile.
Tevez was also wanted by other European clubs, such as Simeone’s Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint Germain, but Juventus respected the Argentina international’s decision to give priority to Boca.
The deal marks the return of one of Boca’s most beloved players. Tevez, called “the player of the people” by Argentine fans, had led the Xeneizes to win four titles: the Apertura 2003, the Libertadores Cup 2003, the Intercontinental Cup 2003 (against AC Milan) and the South American Cup 2004.
The Boca idol left the club in 2005 to join Brazil’s Corinthians, where he won the Brasileirão title and ended the season as top scorer. In 2006 he was transferred to West Ham United, the only club where he did not win a trophy. However, his goal against Manchester United in the last round of the Premier League saved the “Hammers” from relegation.
Tevez played for the Red Devils of Sir Alex Ferguson during the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons, winning the Champions League, the Club World Cup and the FA Cup. He moved on to play with arch rivals Manchester City in 2010, and won the FA Cup in 2011, the first title for the “Citizens” in 44 years.
The “Apache” was then transferred to Juventus, where he won two Scudettos in 2013/14 and 2014/15, and the Coppa Italia in 2014/2015.
He also won the Olympic golden medal with Argentina in 2004 in Athens.
Boca coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena said yesterday that Tevez’s arrival will be an “increase in quality” for the team.
The Xeneizes are in their pre-season training in Florida and Arruabarrena added: “As a coach it will be a privilege to coach a player of his quality.”
Source: Buenos Aires Herald staff with AP, DyN