Gareth Barry is prepared to see out the final 12 months of his contract at Manchester City, despite being told he can leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.
The former England midfielder, a £12m signing from Aston Villa four years ago, is yet to meet new manager Manuel Pellegrini to discuss his future at the club.
But with director of football Txiki Begiristain leading City’s squad overhaul this summer, Barry’s representatives have been informed that the club are prepared to listen to offers for the 32-year-old.
The £30m signing of Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk, combined with the club’s desire for Jack Rodwell and Javi Garcia to make a greater contribution to the first-team next season, has left Barry facing reduced opportunities under Pellegrini, who officially starts work on Monday.
Barry is ready to fight for his place, however, and reject interest from a number of Premier League clubs in order to be involved in Champions League football with City.
Despite Mark Hughes’s admiration of Barry – Hughes signed the player during his time as City manager – it is understood that the Welshman will not make a move to take him to Stoke due to the club’s determination to reduce the wage bill and average age of the squad at the Britannia Stadium.
City are battling to make Isco their second signing of the summer, with Real Madrid increasingly confident of luring the Spain U-21 international to the Bernabéu.
With Manuel Pellegrini confirmed as manager last week, City had believed that they had beaten Real to the Malaga midfielder’s signature.
But the personal intervention of Real director of football Zinedine Zidane is understood to have persuaded Isco to remain in Spain by moving to Madrid.