Barton moves to resolve City row

The 23-year-old may have to accept the offer he spurned in anger, however, if he is to be spared further condemnation at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Barton was jeered during City's last home match against Newcastle for asking to move 24 hours before the close of the transfer window. Since then the midfielder has reconsidered.

"In hindsight, maybe I was impetuous," admitted Barton yesterday. "As far as I am concerned it is not my aim to leave the football club in the near future."

Barton had rejected a "take it or leave it" offer of £28,000-a-week from City which would have placed him at the higher end of the club's pay scale and was described as "more than fair" by his manager, Stuart Pearce, who would have sold Barton last week had he received a bid of around £4m.

Despite the player's revelation that, "Talks have started or are due to start very shortly," there are no negotiations scheduled for this week, but McKay is in regular contact with the club's chairman, John Wardle, and chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh, and City's offer remains on the table.