Stephen Ireland is demanding a £2 million loyalty payment from Manchester City before leaving for Aston Villa as part of a deal to bring James Milner to Eastlands.
City have been linked with Milner throughout the summer and it has long been touted that Ireland was to move in the opposite direction as a makeweight in the deal.
But the 23-year old midfielder is said to be demanding the sum as a loyalty payment from the club, who are thought to be unwilling to be held to ransom.
The deal to bring Milner to the club, thought to be worth £26 million, was supposed to have been concluded on Thursday night in time for City’s opening Premier League fixture against Manchester City, but the deal is in danger of collapsing altogether unless Ireland drops his demands.
Ireland seems to have little future at Eastlands after he was left out of City’s squad for the Europa league qualifier against Timisoara next week and is believed to have been told by City manager Roberto Mancini that he will be left out of the club’s 25-man Premier League squad, which has to be submitted by September 1.
