Ireland unsure over City future ..

After earning a PFA young player of the year nomination with some stellar performances last term, the 23-year-old has struggled badly this year through injury, illness and loss of form.

Ireland has never given any indication of a desire to leave Eastlands, but - with a major review of playing staff certain to follow the failure to secure a Champions League berth next season - Ireland knows he could be in the firing line and told the Manchester Evening News: "There is a question mark over next year for me."

He added: "I don't know what will happen. I am contracted to City and all I can do is carry on doing my job and performing well when I am called upon.

"If anything changes during the summer it will be down to the club, not me."

Ireland only signed a new long-term contract last summer, so it seems strange to be talking about his future already.

But undoubtedly, this term has not gone as he would have hoped, leaving him deeply irritated.

Ireland missed Wednesday night's devastating 1-0 defeat to Tottenham and has still only appeared 11 times under Roberto Mancini.

"It has been a difficult year because I care so much about my job," he added.

"I care about my game and about the club but there is a lot of frustration bottled up because I have not played as much as I would have liked."

Source: PA

Source: PA