Ireland expected to sign new deal

STEPHEN IRELAND has verbally agreed a new two-year deal with Manchester City. The 18-year-old midfielder has recently broken into the Blues’ starting line-up and made his fifth appearance of the season in Sunday’s 2-1 win over West Ham.

The Cork-born player is a product of the City academy which has also spawned the likes of Nedum Onuoha and Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Ireland agreed the contract with City’s chief executive Alistair Mackintosh at last night’s reserve-team win over Bury and it is only a matter of time before it is signed.