Ireland close to City stay

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is confident star midfielder Stephen Ireland will soon sign a new contract at Eastlands. The 22-year-old has been in dazzling form this season and deservedly earned a nomination for the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year. City are understandably keen to secure Ireland's future and were recently encouraged when the Irishman announced that he was eager to stay at the club for at least another decade. Discussions have been taking place between club and player, and Hughes expects a deal to soon be agreed. "I think we are very close," the City boss told Sky Sports News. "We had good discussions with Stephen last week and there is intent on both sides. "We obviously want Stephen to be here for a considerable amount of time. "I think Stephen himself has come out in recent days and said he wants to spend most of his career here, which was obviously very heartening from our point of view. "I would imagine, as long as there are no hiccups along the way, which I don't imagine there will be, that it will get done very quickly."

Source: SKY_Sports