EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart
Manchester City have told Gareth Barry he will have to wait until January to begin talks over a contract extension but both parties are confident of an amicable resolution.
The England midfielder’s current contract will expire at the end of the next season and manager Roberto Mancini is hopeful he can persuade the 31-year-old to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium as he remains a key part of his plans.
City are mindful, however, of history repeating itself and allowing Barry to enter the final year of his contract – as was the case with Nigel De Jong, who was sold this summer to AC Milan in a deal that saw the Premier League champions forced to take a £13 million loss.
Barry currently earns £120,000-a-week and could be asked to take a cut in order to stay as City look to trim their wage bill further with the advent of Financial Fair Play.
The former Aston Villa midfielder, who joined City in an £18m move back in 2009, was an integral part of City’s title-winning campaign, making 44 appearancs in all competitions.