£22m! Mancini set for mega new deal

PAY HIKE ... Roberto Mancini

MANCHESTER CITY want to celebrate Premier League glory by handing Roberto Mancini a whopping new £22million contract.

Mancini’s four-year deal will make him the country’s best-paid boss, alongside Alex Ferguson.

City planned to offer Mancini the £2m-a-year pay rise — taking his salary to £5.5m a year — even if they failed to win the title.

But they are even more eager to get the Italian to sign after he masterminded City’s amazing fightback from eight points down to overhaul neighbours United. The two clubs stand level on points but City’s goal difference is eight better.

And they can clinch their first title in 44 years with victory over QPR on Sunday.

Mancini, 47, is already planning for next season at City. He has the green light from owner Sheikh Mansour to make a £30m move for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, who has a year left on his contract and has so far failed to agree a new deal.

City are also favourites to win the battle with United to land Lille playmaker Eden Hazard, 21, in a £25million deal.