Manchester City's mooted shirt sponsorship deal with Etihad is expected to be a record for a Premiership club.

The Guardian says City hope to strike a record sponsorship deal with Etihad, national airline of the United Arab Emirates, after opening talks about an agreement that would recognise their position as the richest club in the world.

Although talks are described as very early and several other companies are also in the frame, Etihad's links to the Abu Dhabi United Group, the club's owners, have established the airline as the frontrunners to replace Thomas Cook.

The new agreement could be the biggest in English football, beating Manchester United's £56.5m four-year deal with AIG.