Manchester City's Jo (front) celebrates after scoring against Juventus during their Europa League football match at Olympic Stadium in Turin on Dec 16, 2010. (GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP)

RIO DE JANEIRO - Corinthians have spelled out a desire to sign former Manchester City striker Jo from Japan's Nagoya Grampus.

The 33-year-old is contracted to the J-League outfit until January 2022 but is keen to return to the club where his career began.

If he's free, we'll talk. If he wants to come, we want to have him. But he has to be available. If he is, he'll come

Andres Sanchez, President, Corinthians

"If he's free, we'll talk," Corinthians president Andres Sanchez told Radio Bandeirantes.

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"If he wants to come, we want to have him. But he has to be available. If he is, he'll come."

Jo, who has scored 33 goals in 74 matches for Nagoya Grampus, has had two previous spells with Corinthians, netting 42 times in 167 appearances for the Brazilian club.

Last month, Jo told reporters in Brazil that he was open to the prospect of a Corinthians homecoming, pending contractual negotiations between the clubs.

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Meanwhile, Sanchez ruled out the possibility of signing veteran Argentinian forward Carlos Tevez, whose deal with Boca Juniors expires next month. Tevez played 38 times for Corinthians in 2005 and 2006, scoring 25 goals.

"There is no such thing as a free player," Sanchez said. "He (Tevez) will soon be out of contract but there will still be a fee involved. And he earns five million US dollars a year. No chance."