Last Updated: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:58
Man City boss Mark Hughes is confident striker Daniel Sturridge will re-sign for the club after his heroics against Blackburn.
The youngster came off the bench on 71 minutes to score and then set-up Robinho's point-winning equaliser and Hughes does not want him to leave Eastlands.
But with the 19-year-old's deal up in the summer, Hughes knows anything could happen despite remaining upbeat over his hopes of keeping the England Under-19 man.
"I want to keep Daniel at the club because this is the best place for him to learn," said Hughes.
"We want to bring some good players here and that will create the right type of environment that is conducive to good football. I think negotiations are quite close now."
The former Wales boss added: "For some reason Daniel has been allowed to get in the last year of his contract, which swings the situation back towards the player.
"If I had been here then, I would not have allowed it to happen."