Manchester City are bracing themselves for a new bid from Middlesbrough for midfielder Joey Barton.
Barton is still to commit to a new deal on the table from City and sources have told the Manchester Evening News that Middlesbrough will make another bid for Barton this summer - even if Steve McClaren leaves to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson as England boss. It is understood that Boro's original January bid - for £4 million - was driven by chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb, and that both are still keen to bring the Huyton-born midfielder to Teesside.
Gibson is looking for a tough tackler to shore up his midfield, with George Boateng likely to leave at the end of the season.
Barton is still to commit to a new deal on the table from City and sources have told the Manchester Evening News that Middlesbrough will make another bid for Barton this summer - even if Steve McClaren leaves to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson as England boss. It is understood that Boro's original January bid - for £4 million - was driven by chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb, and that both are still keen to bring the Huyton-born midfielder to Teesside.
Gibson is looking for a tough tackler to shore up his midfield, with George Boateng likely to leave at the end of the season.
