Tevez pays for print of 'Welcome' poster

The Argentina international left Old Trafford earlier this summer following the expiration or his two-year loan agreement, having helped the Red Devils win back-to-back Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

However, he instantly turned from hero to villain among United's support, after joining nouveau riche cross-town rivals City in a deal believed to be as high as £47 million - becoming the first player to move between the two Manchester clubs since Terry Cooke in 1999.

The Blues, keen to mock their arch-rivals having lured the diminutive forward to Eastlands, launched a city-wide poster campaign of Tevez bearing the phrase 'Welcome to Manchester' - a move which irked United supremo Ferguson, who said:

"The only thing that upset us was that they come out with that stupid poster. I thought that was arrogance, they should do without that.

"They didn't need to do that, that was naughty, and showed a cockiness that wasn't required at the time because they hadn't done anything, the season hadn't even started."

And, according to reports, Tevez has now paid £2,000 for a 20ft wide digital print of the poster to be displayed in the games room of his Cheshire residence.

The striker is also thought to be set to order a second copy, to be sent to his home in Buenos Aires.