Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Man City tie Ireland down with 5-year deal


To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 20 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Stephen Ireland has signed a new five-year contract at Manchester City.

The Irish midfielder has been rewarded for an outstanding season in which he won the club's player of the year award ahead of the more illustrious names.

"I never had any doubts about staying," Ireland, 22, told the club's website. "Hopefully, I'm going to be here for the remainder of my career.

"I don't see why not. I'm settled, I love the club and the fans and I don't see what's going to make me leave."

At this stage last year, there were questions over Ireland's future at the club as the academy graduate seemed to lose his way under Sven-Goran Eriksson.

But he forced his way into Mark Hughes' side at the start of the season, and has never relinquished his place despite a total overhaul of the City midfield under the club's billionaire owners.