Les strike a deal

SKY BLUE THINKING ... Joleon Lescott

MANCHESTER CITY are planning contract talks with centre-half Joleon Lescott.

The England defender has just one year left on his contract at the Etihad and feared he could be facing the exit this summer.

But new boss Manuel Pellegrini has assured Lescott he is part of his plans.

Club officials want to talk to Lescott, 30, about a one-year extension to his contract while City are on their pre-season globe- trotting tour to South Africa, Hong Kong, Germany and Finland.

City were hoping to raid Real Madrid for Portuguese international Pepe but new Bernabeu boss Carlo Ancelotti does not want to sell.

And that has helped Lescott’s case for a new deal.
Talks are planned when director of football Txiki Begiristain arrives in South Africa this week.

Lescott wants to stay.

But he is also after assurances he will get plenty of game time with the World Cup looming next summer.