Manchester: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed striker Carlos Tevez has told him he wishes to stay at Eastlands next season.
The Argentinean handed in a transfer request earlier this season, but later withdrew it, though speculation continues that the former Manchester United man is set for a summer exit.
However, Mancini told reporters after the 3-0 victory over Stoke City that Tevez now wants to remain at the club.
"He has scored 21 goals," Mancini said. "We keep saying he's an important player."
When asked if Tevez has told him he wants to stay, he added: "Yes. He told me before the cup final.
"I think that he stays next year, I don't think we can change next year because we are playing Champions League. We will have a good squad because we can buy better players.
"He's a fantastic striker, a fantastic player. He has a five-year contract.
"His attitude was [a problem] in December but everyone can change. I think he is an important player here. I think that his feeling is good here. I spoke with him many times in the last 20 days and it’s my opinion that he will stay here next season. He can remain here."
German defender Jerome Boateng has also been linked with a move away from Eastlands after a disappointing start to his Manchester City career but the Italian believes that the 22-year-old will also be at the club at the beginning of next season.
He said: "We bought Jerome last year because we thought he was a fantastic defender, a very young defender and also for Jerome it is the same situation."
The news that Tevez is likely to stay at the club came after an impressive performance for the FA Cup winners, in which they steamrolled Stoke with a powerful display.
The result leaves City in third, having leapfrogged Arsenal which would mean that they automatically qualify for the Champions League group stage next season with a victory over Bolton on the last day of the season.
Speaking of the win, Mancini said: "It was a fantastic performance. It wasn’t easy after the cup final but it was important that the players kept their concentration.
"For us it was important that we got fourth position when we started the season but now we only have one game and there is a difference to play qualification or go into the groups. There is a big difference. Qualification is very difficult.
"We want to finish in third and we have one game to go it but it is difficult."
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