Micah Richards

CITY last night denied that Micah Richards was about to sign a new long-term contract.

The Blues still expect the 19-year-old England international to put pen to paper on a deal that will more than double his wages, taking him into the £50,000 per week bracket, but the next round of talks are scheduled for next month.

Richards, who is believed to have swapped agents recently, still has two and a half years left on his current agreement.

City, meanwhile, have sold out their initial allocation of 3,700 tickets for the FA Cup tie at Sheffield United on Sunday and been successful in a bid for 2,000 more that they expect to be snapped up quickly.

Reports have indicated Richards is a target for new Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan, but the Blues are confident their young defender will stay.