JOEY BARTON is ready to sign a new deal at Manchester City - but he wants a guaranteed £4.5million price tag put in his contract.
Scouser Barton, 23, has all but agreed terms on a £30,000-a-week renewal to stay with Stuart Pearce's club for the next three seasons, but the ambitious midfielder is keen to have a fixed valuation on his head.
Ultimately he has decided City are his best option - with only Middlesbrough in the bidding for him. They are not a much better prospect than Pearce's club.
Barton, who is also pleased Didi Hamann and Ousmane Dabo have signed to strengthen the squad, is about to commit to City but he wants the cover of a price clause in case one of the really big clubs comes for him.
The Blues are likely to agree to that arrangement as they were worried Barton would leave for nothing if his deal had run until next summer.
Chairman John Wardle had turned down £3m from Middlesbrough, so £4.5m is a decent figure for him.
Barton's imminent signing will come as a relief for City who have been under siege - with Portsmouth and Middlesbrough chasing Sylvain Distin and Tottenham bidding £5m for Micah Richards.
And Barton finally got the pay rise he wanted.
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