Who Can Replace Tevez?

Manchester City face one of the hardest tasks in this transfer window, after their captain and talisman Carlos Tevez announced he would be leaving Manchester this summer. 

The Argentine revealed that he missed his daughters and that after 2 years at the blue side of Manchester, he feels it is time to move on and go closer to home to be with his two daughters and his family. The striker has amassed an incredible record at City over his 2 seasons at the club - playing 81 games and scoring 52 goals in all competitions. In the league however, his 43 goals in 63 games is a record matched by nobody.

His 43 leagues goals for Manchester City is the most scored by a single player in the same amount of time, with Darren Bent on 41 goals in that same time period. Didier Drogba has 40 goals while Manchester United star man Wayne Rooney has 37 goals in the last 2 seasons. However, Tevez also has 13 assists showing he isn't all about goalscoring. Wayne Rooney has 14 assists in the two seasons while Didier Drogba has 9. 

These stats show the little Argentine's incredible importance to Manchester City, so how on earth can they replace him?

As usual, the blue side of Manchester has been linked with every top name under the sun with their billions they have available, but only a few names really stand out as possible replacements for Tevez.

Sergio Aguero

Atletico Madrid

Potential Cost: €40M

Sergio Aguero is many peoples favourite to take over as the head talisman at Manchester City after he stated his desire to leave Atletico Madrid during the earlier part of the summer. Another small Argentine striker, with a similar playing style to Tevez - Aguero has really come into his own in La Liga with Atletico Madrid since his €20M move from Independiente 5 years ago.

He struck up a magnificent partnership with Diego Forlan when the Uruguayan arrived from Villarreal, and they became one of the most fearsome attacks in European football. In their first season together, Aguero played in 43 games in all competitions, scoring 22 goals and racking up 9 assists. Since then, Aguero has gone on to play in a further 132 games for  Los Colchoneros scoring 63 goals and raking in 18 assists in all competitions.

His constant running, speed, ability to finish with both feet and composure on the ball make him an excellent candidate to replace Carlos Tevez and with a reported £40M release clause, City certainly won't be worrying about being priced out of a move. Although they may face stiff competition from Juventus and Real Madrid for his signature, their resources and ability to offer Champions League football could be a major pull over Juventus while his relationship with Atletico's fans could push him away from moving to the Bernabeu. 

Samuel Eto'o

Inter Milan

Potential Cost: €37-€40M

Legendary Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o is another candidate to replace Carlos Tevez at Etihad Stadium this summer. At the ripe old age of 31, former Barcelona striker Eto'o has just enjoyed his best goalscoring season at the San Siro club since joining in a deal which saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic join Barcelona 2 seasons ago. 

His record at Inter Milan is fairly good, considering he spend most of his debut season on the right wing cutting in to accomodate for Diego Milito and Jose Mourinho's love of the 4-3-3 formation. In 97 games for The Nerazzurri, he scored 49 goals and helped the teams cause with 21 assists. He also helped to win the UEFA Champions League under Jose Mourinho as well as Serie A in his first season at the club.

At the age of 31, Eto'o would surely only be a short term measure as a replacement for Tevez if Manchester City did sign him, however it is certainly viable. His goal record is impeccable wherever he's been and he's also very good at bringing others into play. His strength, speed, eye for goal and versatility could prove vital for City as they enter their debut season in the Champions League and his experience of scoring in 2 finals and winning 3 Champions League trophies in his career surely make him worth a punt. His wages would be massive and the fee huge too but considering the calibre of player I'd say anything under €32M they should go for it and make him their number 1 striker.

Gonzalo Higuain

Real Madrid

Potential Cost: €27M - €35M

Another Argentine striker linked with the starring role of replacing Carlos Tevez at Eastlands, Gonzalo Higuain is a surprise name to come up in the list. His goalscoring exploits at Real Madrid since joining from River Plate for €13M in January 2007. After signing as a highly rated 19 year-old from Argentina, he initially struggled at Real Madrid before hitting form in the 08/09 season after Ruud Van Nistelrooy got injured. He took the chance with both hands, finishing the season with 24 goals in all competitions (22 in La Liga). 

His Real Madrid record speaks for itself, in 159 games in all competitions for Los Merengues he's scored 74 goals and totalled up 27 assists in the famous white shirt. A phenomenal record considering 55 of those goals have come in the last 3 seasons (and he missed 4 months of last season). However, despite that record it's been reported that the chairman isn't his biggest fan and would rather keep Karim Benzema after spending €35M on the Frenchman. However, Mourinho prefers Higuain to the Frenchman but his injury problems could lead to him being sold. 

His good acceleration, physical strength and ability to finish with either foot or his head. Add that to him being able to break the majority of defensive high lines and incredible ability to score one on ones makes him the ultimate goal threat. His Champions League experience could also prove vital, meaning he is a strong candidate for the position. Reportedly available for between €27M-€35M, he could prove to be the biggest coup of the transfer window if this deal goes through.

Edinson Cavani

Napoli

Potential Cost: €30M

Edinson Cavani is the biggest surprise on the lists of names linked with potentially replacing Carlos Tevez. A natural goalscorer, he signed from Palermo on a season-long loan with Napoli as they looked to bolster their attack to join Europe's elite and get into the Champions League. However, nobody expected what happened next, as the Uruguayan hotshot bagged an incredible 26 goals in 35 league games for the club, before he then signed a new 5-year permanent contract at the club.

Normally that would rule a player out, but with Manchester City's billions and Napoli's history of selling players it's still very much a possibility. Along with Marek Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi, Cavani helped fire Napoli to second in Serie A and a Champions League spot next season.

His insane pace and natural ability to score with either foot, his head and from anywhere in the box or within 30 yards makes him a complete striker, with bags of potential as he is only 24 years old. With a €30M price being touted about for the new hotshot striker it's possible that Manchester City could take a punt on him with a long term view in mind.

Edin Dzeko

Manchester City

Potential Cost: N/A

Of course, Manchester City already have a wide array of forward players in their ranks so they may not even have to spend anything on a replacement for Carlos Tevez. In January, Edin Dzeko joined from VFL Wolfsburg for €30M after Tevez initially claimed he wanted to leave the club, before he decided to stay for the remainder of the season.

The big Bosnian striker is a different type of player to Carlos Tevez, however his ability to find the back of the net is very similar. While at Wolfsburg he was the top goalscorer in the Bundesliga in 09/10 season when they won the league after forming a bullish partnership with Brazilian Grafite. He was then among the top goalscorers the following season as Wolfsburg struggled in mid-table before he jumped ship to Manchester City in January 2011. A stocky striker who's all about holding the ball up, laying the ball off to team mates and then finding space to unleash a finish with either foot or his head.

Considering the faith Mancini showed in Dzeko after his January move despite the striker scoring just 6 goals in all competitions for the club and only 2 in 15 Premier League games (8 starts, 7 sub), it's very likely that he may continue to keep his faith in Dzeko as the head striker at Manchester City and he may just strengthen the areas around him to provide him with sufficient ammunition to score goals. With David Silva, Mario Balotelli, Adam Johnson, Yaya Toure, James Milner already at the club in offensive positions, it's possible that a few more additions could see Dzeko start the new campaign at Manchester City's top dog.