Distin 'turns down' new deal

The Guardian reported today that Sylvain Distin has turned down a new contract offer from the club which would have seen him become the highest paid player at the club with a believed weekly wage of £40,000 - and that he is holding out for around £50,000 a week, which the Guardian claims 'will almost certainly see him leave'.

This has been refuted by the club who have stated:

“He’s not recently turned a contract offer down from
us. We’ve been talking to Sylvain for a year and a half in regard to his
contract.
“He still enjoys playing his football here, you’ve only got to
look at his form to see that.
“I honestly believe he will end up signing a
new contract. Whether that is tomorrow, next week or in the summer when his
contract actually finishes and he has to make a decision one way or the other, I
still feel he will be a Manchester City player.”

Inevitably the opening of the January transfer window will again bring speculation about Distin's future - especially (as seems likely) he will not sign a deal before the end of the window, and perhaps I'm playing to the speculation here a little but could Pearce's comments about having an abundance of centre-halves at the club loosen his resolve to necessarily keep him at the club at all costs?