Joe Cole zu Man City?

Manchester City are expected to see off competition from Manchester United and Tottenham to secure the signing of Joe Cole on a free transfer from Chelsea in the summer.

The 28-year-old England midfielder is at odds with the Blues over a new ­contract. With his current deal due to expire on June 30, Cole is seeking a pay rise of about £50,000 a week to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are prepared to offer him a rise of only £20,000 on his current £80,000-a-week salary. Talks between Cole’s advisers and Chelsea have been ongoing since the start of the season but have stalled in recent weeks with neither side apparently ­willing to back down.

Although he is reluctant to leave London, Cole is aware he is still in a position of strength as he seeks parity with the club’s ­second tier earners like Michael ­Ballack, Nicolas ­Anelka and Michael ­Essien.

City, United and Spurs are long-term admirers. But the Eastlands club, who failed in an audacious bid to land Chelsea and England captain John Terry last ­summer, are more confident that they can fulfil Cole’s ­current wage demands.

In the current economic ­climate it seems both United and Tottenham will find it ­impossible to match a City offer that would include a £5m signing on fee and wages of about £150,000 a week.