Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has made a written transfer request, which the club has rejected. The 26-year-old Argentina international is said to be homesick after four years in England.
"The club remains disappointed by this situation and particularly with the actions of Carlos' representative," said a Manchester City statement.
Tevez was suspended on Saturday as City won at West Ham to move level on points with Premier League leaders Ars*nal.
He had an angry exchange with manager Roberto Mancini when substituted in the closing moments of his last match against Bolton on 4 December.
City say that Tevez and his agent, Kia Joorabchian, have been pushing to renegotiate the player's five-year contract in recent months.
The club statement continued: "Roberto Mancini and all at the club have shown, and will continue to show, sensitivity to Carlos' personal circumstances including the issue of his family being based overseas.
"Indeed following his suspension as a result of the game against Bolton, Carlos requested, and was given, special dispensation by the Manager to take leave overseas.
"The written transfer request is in stark contrast to Carlos' stated position in both public and club contexts.
"Significantly, over recent months, the club has also received numerous requests from Carlos' representative to renegotiate and improve his playing contract as well as more recently a request to extend that contract by another year.
"However, in line with the club's policy of not negotiating playing contracts mid-season this has not been granted. Carlos' current five-year contract has three-and-a-half years to run and he is the highest paid player at the Manchester City Football Club.
"This is both an unfortunate and unwelcome distraction and the club will remain focused on the games ahead in what is turning out to be a very promising season. The door remains open for Carlos to be selected to play."
Tevez joined Manchester City from cross-town rivals Manchester United last year after a two-year spell with Sir Alex Ferguson's side that saw him win two Premier Leagues titles, the Champions League, the Fifa Club World Cup and the League Cup.
He then joined fierce rivals City in July, 2009, and was a key member of the side as they just missed out on Champions League qualification by finishing fifth last season.
BBC Radio 5 live football correspondent Ian Dennis said: "The striker is believed to be homesick and over the last couple of months there have been suggestions he's considering quitting football altogether.
"In a recent television interview he said he was tired of football and tired of people who work in football."
Tevez left South America for England in 2006 to join West Ham, along with fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano, and scored the goal at Manchester United on the last day of the season that kept the Londoners in the Premier League.
However, the Argentine pair's third-party contract ownership by Joorabchian's company Media Sports Investment ultimately led to West Ham having to pay the relegated Sheffield United £20m in compensation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/9279311.stm
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