Barton’s smelly new contract

I HAVE no reason to disbelieve Joey Barton. He is a fine player, rightly knocking on the door of the England squad.

He insists that he’s happy to stay at Manchester City: “We are going in the right direction and I have got a manager who believes in me.”

But I’m confused. Why was it important to have a clause inserted in his lucrative new contract allowing him to talk to any club offering City £5.5 million?