Distin back on the agenda

Maybe it was a quiet day on the news front but Stuart Pearce was today talking about the future at the club of Sylvain Distin.

Distin of course is out of contract in the summer, and despite having a four year deal on the table from the club is entitled to speak to prospective clubs regarding a 'Bosman' move in January.

Pearce spoke of Distin, saying:

"He plays all the games and is professional, and is
fantastic to have around the place.
It is just us agreeing those financial
terms with him. At the moment we have got a bit of a sticking point, but we have
had that for a number of months.
Hopefully, the main thing that will tilt it
in our favour is that he enjoys his football here.
Sylvain is a pleasant man
who has sets of principles that he works to. That is fine, and I hope that his
performances can inspire the team's performances and make him say to himself:
`Hang on a minute, as it goes I enjoy living in Manchester, I enjoy this
football club and I enjoy working for Stuart Pearce'."

I don't doubt that Pearce does enjoying playing for the club, but from Distin's viewpoint he has now been here since we returned to the Premiership and I doubt the club has progressed as he hoped in terms of league positions and European football.

Despite the promise of Micah Richards and Nedum Onouha it would be a big, big blow if Distin did decide to walk come the end of the season. His partnership with Dunne has become that good and consistent we almost take it for granted and he clearly would be difficult to replace - rumours of Anthony Gardner arriving from Tottenham have been doing the rounds this week, and he would in no way be a wholly adequate replacement.

I doubt that Distin will sign a contract between now and the end of the season, preferring to wait and see what offers he will receive. Would the club decide to cash in though if an offer was received for him? That I guess is the worry, and I don't see we would receive anywhere near the amount we have previously been offered.

It is no sure fire thing that Distin will depart, and he of course turned a move to Middlesbrough down on the eve of this season believing that both the contract and the club didn't offer a big enough step up for him, but I cannot see that a club with who are regularly involved in Europe and with a bit of finance behind them won't make Distin an offer that he does end up taking.