CITY are refusing to pay a é100,000-plus fee to Joey Barton's agent for "renegotiating" the midfielder's new contract.

And, until the unprecedented, behind-the-scenes row is settled, the é30,000-a-week, four-year deal will remain unsigned.

MEN sport is aware that the irritated City hierarchy regard the fee charged by agent Willie McKay as being "totally excessive" as the player is already on the staff and no outside clubs have been involved.

Barton, who narrowly avoided the sack on two occasions after unsavoury incidents when he stubbed a lit cigar into a young team-mate's eye at a Christmas party and brawled in a Bangkok bar whilst on the club's Far East tour, angered fans when he put in a transfer request.

But only Middlesbrough made a firm inquiry and the club have since made him an offer that virtually doubles his wages.

City directors have been determined to resolve the Barton issue as he is in the last year of his current contract and would be able to leave for nothing at the end of the new season.

As well as a so-called "renegotiating fee," McKay also wants a clause inserted into the new contract that would allow Barton to speak to any club that offers é4.5m for him in the future.

Discredit

City bosses are reluctant to speak publicly about the details of the now delayed negotiations but McKay believes attempts are being made to discredit him.

He said: "It's just propaganda and I am fed-up with it. I'm trying to do my best for Barton.

"I brought in Nicolas Anelka, Ali Benarbia, Daniel van Buyten, Marc-Vivien Foe and Antoine Sibierski into City and it is bang out of order for information like this to go public. It's unprofessional. They're just having a pop."

Asked if he could justify a é100,000 fee for the renegotiation, McKay said: "I'm not going to answer that but it has not been easy.

"I could have got him é15,000 or é20,000 more than City have offered but Joey just doesn't want the hassle."

More talks are planned between McKay, the City hierarchy and Barton and, despite the bust-up over the renegotiation fee, indications are Barton will sign the deal and be on City's pre-season tour of China next month.

MEN sport does, however, understand that the Blues will not be paying the fee McKay expects. The agent was in more talks with City chief executive Alistair Mackintosh last night and more discussions are planned to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile City have quashed speculation that they are going to sell young defender Micah Richards - and revealed they want to extend his contract and give him a major pay rise.

Richards can expect to see a wage hike up to é12,000-a-week if he signs a new deal.

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