Ed Sheeran's manager reveals fifth album is already "in the can"

Ed Sheeran's manager has revealed that his fifth album is basically ready to go and "in the can."

Despite the British superstar releasing his fourth LP = next week, it seems its follow-up has already taken shape. 

Ed's manager Stuart Camp explained to The Sun's Bizarre column (via Contact Music) that new music could be on its way sooner than expected.

"This tour is going to span three or four years, and there will be another record within that cycle, that was always the plan," he said.

MORE: Ed Sheeran's Official Charts history in full

"It’s more a question of stopping him putting another record out the week after this one."

Ed will hit the road next year on his Mathematics Tour, where eagle-eyed fans had already spotted all of the symbols used to promote the tour (+, x, ÷ and now =) support an album, with only one (-) left unaccounted for. 

Since returning with comeback single Bad Habits this summer, Ed has been an unstoppable force on the Official Singles Chart in the lead-up to his album's release. Bad Habits itself topped the chart for a mammoth eleven weeks, making it one of the biggest tracks of the year so far. 

Follow-up single Shivers also topped the Official Singles Chart, this time for a month, while both tracks are currently still in the Top 10.