SYLVAIN Distin is set to stay at Manchester City - even though they won't be playing European football next season.
City's captain has made it clear that he wants to play in Euro competition, sparking fears that he may leave the club this summer.
But Distin has opened talks over a new contract at Eastlands, with his current deal due to expire in just over 12 months.
And boss Stuart Pearce insists that the 28-year-old, a é4m signing from Paris St Germain in 2002, has not given any hint that he wants to leave.
"The Sylvain Distin situation's going along quite well. I had a chat with him the other day," Pearce said.
"He's been top notch. I've never had a problem with the captain. I've never even had a suggestion from him or his representatives that he wants to leave this club."
Pearce has no problem with Distin's desire for European football, but he thinks the Frenchman can achieve that at Eastlands.
"If my skipper wasn't bothered whether he played European football, I'd be disgusted," Pearce said.
"We all want to play European football, but we want to do it with a sky blue shirt on.
Performances
"The only people who can give themselves European football are the players in their performances and results. It's as simple as that.
"No player has said it to me, but if any player ever said that they want to play European football, I would tell them that they've got to play a little bit better to get there. Simple as that."
Pearce added that it was just a matter of paperwork to sign up striker Andy Cole and goalkeeper Nick Weaver on new contracts, although talks with Joey Barton will not resume until the summer.
"Coley and the Weaver situation will resolve themselves." Pearce said. "And negotiations have opened with Richard Dunne, and he's more than happy to stay at this club.
"I think most of the contract offers have been very good, and I can't see too many problems.
"I wouldn't want to leave this club at the moment if I was a player. One or two will question that because we've had some bad results, but there's not a team that hasn't had bad results."
Barton, who sparked controversy by handing in a transfer request in January, will not return to the City midfield for tomorrow's trip to West Ham, as he is still feeling a reaction to his knee injury despite resuming training. Claudio Reyna is doubtful, while Antoine Sibierski is also struggling with an ankle problem.
Meanwhile, Stephen Ireland will miss the rest of the season after medical staff confirmed that his calf injury will keep him out for a month.
The 19-year-old midfielder picked up the injury in training and did not feature in last Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham. Pearce said: "Stevie's injury is worse than we first thought, so he will probably miss the rest of the season."
How important is Distin to City? Have your say.
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So sibs is struggling with an ankle injury is he? Well that'll make a change from struggling without one!!!
Distin is a class act as a defender but I wonder about his ability as a captain. If SD does go I'd like to see JB as captain (if he signs) - very much like our 'Roy Keane'. I have a horrible feeling though that we may lose both JB and SD come the summer while being left with players like Subierski, Reyna and Sun. And that would be a total disaster.
Well said Stuart Pearce for saying that if the current players want to play European football, they've got to play better to get there. That applies to all our players, notably Barton, whose agent appears to think he's too good for us. Sadly, his performances suggest the opposite is presently the case. Players should earn their right to play in Europe!
distin is good player has played a well this season i hope he does stay and i hope barton does as well aslong as they don't hold the club up for money
Sylvain Distin - great player,great athelete who wants to do well with Manchester City.Just the type of player we need.
Joey Barton,poor player,poor athelete,wants to do well with anybody but Manchester City.Just the sort of player we don't need.
Who cares anymore. Distin's o.k, a bit like a few others at city. But all in all the majority are just pants, and when you look at the starting eleven on a saturday, you just say, here's another defeat then.
Another page filler. There is nothing new in this story to suggest that things are any further forward with SD than a month ago.
It sounds to me that City are going to sign some very good players in the closed season and dump the not so good, hence the reason why Distin will probably re-sign!
Come on City!!
He is the main stay of our team. Absolute class and should be the first choice for the French team in the World Cup.
One of the best defenders in the Premiership
I would rather Manchester City play in the Intertoto cup than play these 'friendly'matches against teams in the UK.
Its worked for others and it could work for us.
So Reyna injured again.....that has amazed me, I never thought he would get injured I mean he is such a great player and big plus to this team......oh! I forgot that is only to a berk who cannot spot talent when it stares him in the face and instead picks the same losers every week....SP!.
I see his amazing squad of average at best players are getting drubbed again, whats new?, and this is to a side who have rested the best of their team full of "CHAMPIONSHIP" standard players and played a young keeper for only the second time of his career, this gets funnier by the week, get your crash helmets ready lads because this is gonna get sticky and we are going down early next year, if he keeps these players we will smash all records next season!.
come on girls .lets not get too down about 6 defeats ,this is city you know.or are we all of a sudden brazil ?
god what were you like when royle was manager and the ones before that.
distin is class and everyone knows he should be in the france team instead of boomsong. anyway i reckon that future england manager 2 months ago will sort this out .i am proud of city for taking 4 points off trafford rangers this season,not many teams going to do that :ever.
anyway i'm with liam+noel .
Distin is world class but the sky blue shirt continues hold him back on the international front like a number of our other players in the past. Quality players want to play alongside other quality players. We've not got enough of them and the likely situation is that our best will want to leave, making it even more difficult than it is now to attract good players. Please stay Sylvain to give us a fighting chance of improving our weak squad in the summer and getting into Europe.