Source: Daily_Mail
EXCLUSIVE: Ireland agrees mega £80,000 a week new deal after starring for Man City
Manchester City star Stephen Ireland is on the verge of signing a new £4million-a-year deal at Eastlands.
Sportsmail Online can reveal that City's young midfielder - who will be revealed as the club's player of the year next week - has verbally agreed a double-your-money new contract worth £80,000-a-week.
The deal - that will contract the 22-year-old to the club until 2013 - will be signed before the end of the season and will give him parity with other high earners at the club such as Shaun Wright-Phillips and Wayne Bridge - even if it is still dwarfed by the record-breaking £160,000-a-week taken home by Brazil forward Robinho.
Ireland is known to be delighted with the deal that comes at the end of a season that has seen him rocket from a squad player under manager Mark Hughes to arguably the club's most important member of the playing staff.
Already this season he has scored 13 goals - just two less than Robinho - and has created many more.
Ireland has had two meetings with City and his advisers in recent weeks and is now happy for the deal to go through and put an end to speculation linking him with moves away from his one and only club.
The deal has not been officially announced, but Ireland admitted: 'I want to play here until I am 33 or 34-years-old. Hopefully I will get a contract sorted out soon and continue to play for the club I love as long as possible.'
