Stephen Ireland - should he stay or should he go?

The Stephen Ireland story is edging out as an early contender for City's most protracted transfer dealing of the summer. Last summer we had Eto'o and Terry, the winter before was Kaka, but the early summer murmurs point to something that is far more likely to happen - the exit of last year's player of the season.

Roque Santa Cruz went some way to confirming how unsettled Ireland is by urging him to stay in the press today: "He is a very nice guy and a fantastic player also, so I think everybody at the club would be very disappointed to see him leaving. He is a great talent." Whilst going on to reveal some of his own insecurities by suggesting his, and Ireland's, worries about incoming replacements.

On the merit of this season's peformances they both have reason to fear replacements. Santa Cruz has never been fit enough to prove his worth to the team (prompting questions about whether he ever will be) and Ireland has struggled to regain his place after a series injuries and an early season health scare.

Reports are that Ireland has handed in a transfer request and City are stepping up their search for replacements, but the fact is we needed a creative replacement for Ireland anyway - and perhaps his knowledge of this has caused his recent disillusionment. Ireland lacks the mental attributes to play in the centre of midfield so, realistically, the only spot he vies for is the free role with Carlos Tevez - and with a plummet in commitment, Ireland has never looked like challenging him for his place. With the plaudits of last season, Ireland will not be happy to be labelled as cover in the side he was player of the season in. City have needed someone with creativity to sit alongside Barry or de Jong, but Ireland wilts under the responsibility of such a role.

Nedum, in his infamous Soccer AM interview, described Ireland as the best player he has ever played with - citing his "unbelievable tecchers" (technique to you and me!). Which introduces the conundrum of why the best players aren't the best players. In an idealistic world Ireland would be the best player in City's current team - he does have unbelievable technique, he has the ability to pick passes that others don't see - but as Ireland's performances last season proved - it needs to be coupled with the right mentality and work ethic to be effective. The other two players with the greatest technical ability over the last ten years are probably Robinho and Elano - and whilst they are both capable of breathtaking pieces of football, it cannot be argued that they have heads for the Premier League. The same perhaps goes for Ireland.

Or does it? The most frustrating aspect of his performances this season has been our knowledge of his performances last season. If last season hadn't happened, the Ireland of this campaign wouldn't have raised any eyebrows. He has still showed the occasional glimpses of magic this season but he has looked like the uncertain player of before - incapable of playing the simple pass and more comfortable on the peripheries of the action. People speculate about his mental strength but he was certainly capable of reacting in the right way to being down the pecking order under Hughes - he didn't start last season in the squad remember - but perhaps, like Nedum, he doesn't feel like he has another fight left in him - the idea that one fight should be enough to establish a first team place. The competition is getting stronger all the time but, if Ireland had the resilience, a player of his natural abilities should believe himself up for the challenge. Perhaps it is exactly this lack of resilience that will prove to rule Nedum and Ireland out of the high standard of football the club are striving to achieve. Maybe Ireland just needs an 8-1 drubbing somewhere to refocus him.

In the Guardian, Daniel Taylor suggested last week that Ireland "is renowned for being so sensitive when things are not going well his transfer request was partly expected behind the scenes." And this represents the crux of the problem. Mancini was right to suggest it relies on Ireland's head. If the staff at City can be confident of a rejuvenation of Ireland, then it would be foolish to sell him - but it is precisely his problems that could prevent him from fulfilling his potential. He seems popular enough amongst the players that a protracted transfer wrangle would be detrimental to the squad (especially if he is set to be bartered against other Premier League midfielders - Milner and Arteta, for example), so a speedy resolution may be better for all parties - and only the future will tell whether he will come back to haunt us or drift into legend as a one-season wonder.