Pearce: Richards will stay but Mills can go

Stuart Pearce has opened the door for Danny Mills to leave Manchester City in the transfer window but has insisted England prodigy Micah Richards will not be sold.

The 18-year-old defender is one of three City players attracting interest but Pearce is adamant neither he, midfielder Joey Barton nor central defender Sylvain Distin will be leaving.

Mills, 29, is a different matter however and Pearce – who has several transfer targets himself – said he would listen to offers.

Pearce told the Manchester Evening News: “It is not prudent to suggest who might go but if an opportunity came for Danny to go and play some football then we would listen to it.

“I think Danny would be open-minded too. He has kept his head down and had a good spell away at Hull and done well. The unfortunate thing for Danny has been the emergence of Micah Richards.

“Micah has flourished because he has got in the side and done so well for us.”

There has been speculation that Chelsea are keen on Richards, while Distin is out of contract in the summer – he has been offered a new deal by City – and Newcastle have been linked with a move for Barton.

However Pearce added: “We want to keep the top players here not sell them. For all the speculation about one or two individuals at this club we have not had enquiries about those players and even if they came we would bat them away. I am pleased not to have those phone calls.”

City’s USA midfielder Claudio Reyna is another who could move on this month and there has been talk of the 33-year-old going back to end his career in the States.