New contract for Stevie mooted |
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The Independent
"City ready to offer in-form Ireland new contract"
Manchester City are ready to sit down with Stephen Ireland to discuss a new contract reflecting his improved form under Mark Hughes.
Pending final discussions between manager Hughes and the club's board, talks are expected to begin shortly in an attempt to do something about Ireland's £26,000-a-week salary, which is by no means commensurate with the contribution he is currently making at Eastlands. It is not even two years since the 22-year-old last agreed a contract which would keep him at the club until June 2012 and, with City's board of the view that any new contract offer must be Hughes' decision, a deal nearer £50,000 a week would appear to be likely. Ireland's position is in stark contrast to that of Daniel Sturridge, whose advisers want more than £60,000 a week for him, a demand which Hughes and the City board are not willing to entertain.
Hughes is hoping that Robinho will be fit for the Uefa Cup trip to Copenhagen this week after he limped out of the 2-0 defeat at Fratton Park on Saturday, with a tight thigh. As Darius Vassell missed Saturday's lacklustre performance on the South Coast with an illness, Hughes needs Robinho fit, otherwise he could be short of forward players. Benjani and Sturridge have already been ruled out, which could leave Craig Bellamy, Felipe Caicedo and Ched Evans as his only options.
Micah Richards is also facing a fitness test on the ankle injury that kept him out at the weekend after it initially failed to respond to treatment.
Daily Mail
"REVEALED: Jeff Powell's Best Brazilian footballers"
ROBINHO (Man City). The most expensive player in the world and, on recent evidence for Brazil against Italy, worth every penny of Sheik Mansour's £32million.
Daily Telegraph
"Aston Villa to renew interest in Manchester City’s Micah Richards"
Richards was the subject of an £8 million bid from Villa in January but City were unwilling to sell, particularly as they experienced difficulty in acquiring a replacement, with enquiries for Everton’s Joleon Lescott and England captain John Terry coming to nothing.
However, Richard’s indifferent form for the club, and the likelihood that further recruits will be bought by manager Mark Hughes in the summer, mean Villa are hopeful a deal can be struck, reports the Mirror.
Laursen, 31, a pivotal figure in Villa mounting a credible challenge to the established top four at the summit of the Premier League, has been hit by a succession of knee injuries.
Daily Mirror
"Furious Mark Hughes lays into Manchester City flops"
Mark Hughes has put the boot into his Manchester City flops, warning them he will not tolerate any more away-day dross.
Hughes was furious with his players after they undid all their recent good work in a spineless 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth.
Their abject surrender at Fratton Park - to a side who had not won in the league since November - was their seventh Premier League loss on the road and their only win was way back in August at Sunderland.
The City manager was particularly livid because his side ignored the carefullyprepared game-plan they had worked on all week.
"I was angry because we work really hard all week to give the players lots of information and an understanding of the gameplan but on Saturday that was not taken on board," fumed Hughes.
"If you veer away from what you're trying to do then on occasions you will be exposed and we didn't get anything like a performance on Saturday and in the end got what we deserved - nothing.
"We have to have variation in the way we play and we cannot just pass and probe.
"It's frustrating because we see good signs and then, away from home, we're disappointing. It has got to stop." Hughes signed Nigel de Jong and Craig Bellamy to put some fight into his side and he was angered by their lack of steel.
He claims his team, who must regroup for Thursday's
UEFA Cup trip to FC Copenhagen, must now earn the right to play when they go away from the sanctuary of Eastlands.
"You've got to roll your sleeves up when you travel to places like Fratton Park and battle for what you get and on occasions we were lacking in that respect," he said.
"There are certain situations where you have got to stand up to the challenge, but we allowed Portsmouth to take the initiative.
"As a consequence you will concede goals and this is the hardest league in the world when you do that.
"At times we forget that, certainly away from home.
Other teams will not allow us to play, not allow technically gifted players to influence the game, so you have to find another way." Hughes has maintained during his roller-coaster reign at City that the second half of the season would be the time to judge him, and his sides traditionally finish strongly.
He is also banking on his January signings to help them mount a bid for a European place to silence his critics.
But instead he is frustrated that City still look as fragile as ever in away games and this fundamental weakness could prove fatal when owner Sheikh Mansour reviews his first season in charge come May.
Robinho and Elano are particularly prone to 'going missing', - despite starring for their national side last week - a situation that can only undermine Hughes' position further. "We had the vast majority of the game but in key situations were found wanting," said Hughes.
"You can't win in this league unless the majority of your team is playing at the right level."
Terry staying put |
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Daily Mail
"Terry commits his future to Chelsea after turning down City switch"
John Terry insists he is going nowhere after Chelsea snubbed interest from Manchester City.
Mega-rich City have been spurned in their attempts to sign the Blues skipper as part of their lavish rebuilding at Eastlands.
Terry admitted he was glad his club rejected the bid, saying: "Chelsea told me what had happened with the enquiry as a courtesy.
'I was very happy with their reaction as mine would have been the same.
'I have always said that I want to end my career at the club which I love and we all see no reason why that cannot happen.
'Given recent events I am more determined than ever to make Chelsea successful again.'
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon warned City not to return with an improved offer in the summer.
'We made it very clear that John was not for sale,' he said.
'We did not entertain any further conversation on the subject and nor will we in the future.
'John is our captain and the captain of England.
'He is part of the heart and soul of Chelsea.'
Daily Telegraph
"Chelsea's John Terry denies Manchester City link "
City made an enquiry about Terry before the winter transfer window opened, Chelsea have confirmed.
That might underline the scale of City's ambition, but Terry sees no problem at Stamford Bridge in terms of future trophy-winning potential.
And the 28-year-old captain of Chelsea and England, who came through the youth ranks in west London, is adamant he will remain a one-club player.
He is determined to give everything for new boss Guus Hiddink, who saw Chelsea - minus the suspended Terry - secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals by beating Watford on Saturday.
Terry was kept informed by Chelsea about City's interest, and said: "I was very happy with their reaction as mine would have been the same.
"I have always said that I want to end my career at the club which I love and we all see no reason why that cannot happen.
"Given recent events I am more determined than ever to make Chelsea successful again."
Chelsea are likely to sell players in the summer in order to fund new signings, after their latest accounts showed a loss of almost £66million.
But they are adamant Terry represents everything positive about the club and insist he will not be sacrificed for the sake of bringing in fresh faces.
Chief executive Peter Kenyon told City, now backed by billionaire Arab owners, there was no chance of them landing Terry.
City turned their attentions to AC Milan's Kaka, only for their bumper bid for the Brazilian to fail.
Kenyon said: "We made it very clear that John was not for sale. We did not entertain any further conversation on the subject and nor will we in the future.
"John is our captain and the captain of England. He is part of the heart and soul of Chelsea."
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