Why Carlos Tevez was one of the most important signings in Man City history

Manchester City have no shortage of club legends: Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell and many, many more. Whether it be leadership, goalscoring ability or incredible skill, the reasons for them being heralded as club greats are obvious.

On Saturday, a former City hero announced his retirement from football at the age of 38, bringing an end to a glittering 20-year career. Carlos Tevez will likely never be regarded as a City legend; there will be no statue erected outside the Etihad Stadium or a mosaic unveiled at the City Football Academy. Arguably though, he is one of the most important signings in City's history.

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It just didn't seem real when on July 13, 2009, City announced that they had agreed a deal to sign Tevez. Just a year into the Sheikh Mansour era, City were looking to make the jump from mid-table to the Champions League places, and that required top-quality players.

City fans had enjoyed the flair and inventiveness of Robinho the season before - the statement signing that heralded the dawn of a new era for the Blues - and in 2009 the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz were recruited to add firepower to the squad. But Tevez was a level above, and then some.

Even if had Tevez never kicked a ball for City, the act of signing him would have still been a hugely symbolic moment in City's rise to dominance. The Argentinian striker had just finished a two-year loan spell at Manchester United, and when he rejected an offer to make his stay permanent, City swooped in.

City didn't technically buy Tevez from United - the player's advisors owned his economic rights - but it felt like