Mancini believes Tevez will stay

ROBERTO Mancini is convinced Carlos Tevez will stay with Manchester City next season.

Last week, it appeared Mancini had conceded Tevez was bound for Italy this summer.

However, after extensive conversations with the Argentina star, the City boss has changed his opinion.

The situation might still be slightly confused but Mancini is adamant the outcome will be that Tevez remains at Eastlands.

"I spoke with him many times in the last 20 days," said Mancini after last night's 3-0 win over Stoke.

"He has a five-year contract and he has told us he wants to stay.

Mancini is clearly anxious to avoid a summer of uncertainty, particularly surrounding his best attacking player, who moved level with Dimitar Berbatov in the race for the Golden Boot with a double that took him on to 20 for the season, either side of a Joleon Lescott header.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis could only purr in admiration at Tevez's second, a brilliant free-kick that gave Thomas Sorensen no chance.

"The free-kick was extraordinary," he said. "It was a great goal.”