Manchester City has rejected captain Carlos Tevez's written transfer request, the Premier League club said on Sunday.

City, which went joint top of the league on Saturday, said it was disappointed by the move, particularly as it had been so accommodating of the Argentina striker's personal circumstances of his family living in South America.

"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 club said in a statement on its website (www.mcfc.co.uk).

"The door remains open for Carlos to be selected to play."

Tevez, who joined City in 2009 after a spell at Manchester United and is the club's highest-paid player, missed Saturday's 3-1 victory at former club West Ham United through suspension.

He has been enjoying some of the best form of his career at City, scoring 33 goals in 50 league appearances, and his desire to leave comes as more of a disappointment than a shock to fans given reports he is feeling homesick.

Reuters