Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure may be in line for a new deal at the Etihad. The ex-Barcelona central midfielder is the undisputed heart and soul of Roberto Mancini's team and his present deal with the Premier League champions expires in two years' time. The Ivory Coast international's importance to City was evident in January, when the 29-year-old was away with his national team for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

Yaya Toure
Reuters

The Daily Star believes City officials will offer Toure a five-year deal worth £220,000 per week (approximately £11m per year) and the sheer scale and magnitude of his performances means he will have no shortage of offers if he ever wants to leave City. Fortunately for City fans, Toure seems content to stay with the club.

"The Premier League is fantastic. I'm happy to be in this ­championship and I want to stay here a long time. I always want to be here," the midfielder said.

Toure's importance to the side was further underlined on Sunday evening, when he scored the opener in City's massively important 2-0 win over Chelsea at the Etihad. Premier League leaders had already played - on Saturday - and recorded a comfortable 2-0 win of their own over QPR. The win stretched Sir Alex Ferguson's team's lead to 15 points and City were well aware, before kick-off, that if they failed to beat the Blues, then the league title was as good as over.

The Ivorian opened the scoring in the second half, after a typically masterful performance, and Argentine striker Carlos Tevez completed the match with a thunderous strike.

City will next travel to Villa Park, to face Paul Lambert's youngsters. Mancini now has 56 points, from 27 games, to Ferguson's 68 from the same number.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have to dust themselves off and pick themselves up for a midweek FA Cup fixture. The west Londoners travel to the Riverside stadium, to face Championship side Middlesbrough, with a potential cup date against United waiting.