The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[Chris Smith]

I think this one may well run on for some time. We've shown that if we set a price we stick to it but I reckon even Man City might wince at £30m.

[richard moore]

Should Milner go, it'd be very, very sad, moreover because (after the Barry's saga) we'd confirm that we are not enough attractive to make our best players stay. I regret the players of the past, particularly the heroes of 1981 and 1982, that were a bunch of fantastic lads, committed to the club and aware of its proud history, not mercenaries like are the 90% of the modern players.

Too true and we won't be the only ones to suffer this summer. Every club almost is someone elses feeder club. Watch the clamour surrounding Lampard, Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Fabregas, Torres, Arteta et al once the WC is over...

[abc123cox]

MARTIN O'NEILL has slapped a £30million price tag on England star James Milner.
He acted after the midfielder, a target for Manchester City, told Aston Villa he is ready to leave them this summer.

Milner and his agent met boss O'Neill, American owner Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner at Villa's training ground on Monday.

But despite the prospect of a new contract, it seems Milner cannot be persuaded to stay.



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2995835/Martin-ONeill-has-told-James-Milner-hell-cost-30million.html#ixzz0pgIr6nsi

[Risso]

I think this one may well run on for some time. We've shown that if we set a price we stick to it but I reckon even Man City might wince at £30m.

Money absolutely is no object for them, I don't think they'd even blink at that price.  Let's just hope he has a cracking World Cup and gets one or two big European sides interested to push the price up a bit.  We've seen the last of him at VP I fear.

[Chris Smith]

Each paper is ptiing their own spin on this:

Aston Villa have reiterated their desire to hold on to James Milner and say they will not consider changing that stance unless Manchester City increase their bid for the England international to £30m.

That message was spelt out to the player and his agent during an hour-long discussion on Monday, when Martin O'Neill, the manager, and Randy Lerner, the chairman, told Milner how integral he is to the Villa team and how eager they are to keep him at the club in the long term.

Villa have described the talks as positive although Milner left without agreeing to sign a new contract – he has two years remaining on his £45,000-a-week deal – and his future remains unresolved as he boards the plane to South Africa today as part of Fabio Capello's 23-man England squad for the World Cup.

Whether City will return with an improved bid before the finals get under way is uncertain but Villa have made it abundantly clear that the £20m that was tabled a fortnight ago significantly undervalues a player who has gone on to become a permanent fixture in the England set-up since making his debut against Holland in August last year and who, at the age of 24, has time on his side to continue to improve.

Aston Villa's position promises to put City's desire to sign Milner to the test. Brian Marwood, City's football administrator, has followed Milner's career with interest ever since he broke through at Leeds United as a 16-year-old and he is determined to bring the PFA Young Player of the Year to Eastlands this summer. Marwood worked closely with Milner during his previous employment at Nike and believes he has all the characteristics to be a major success at City.

Yet there must come a point when even a club with City's extraordinary wealth question whether they are getting value for money. Milner, after all, cost Villa £12m when he arrived from Newcastle United less than two years ago and it is only during the last season, when O'Neill moved him into a central role, that he has really caught the eye. The most likely scenario seems to be that a game of brinkmanship will develop, with City expected to try to tempt Villa with players as well as cash in exchange for Milner.

[Countryside Villain]

I don't want him to go but I think that kind of sum would be good business for us.  I can understand why Milner might at least be waiting to see if Villa make any moves in the market before or during the World Cup.  He's not going to want to hang around on a promise only to see August 31st arrive and we've signed Carlton Cole.

[Chris Smith]

I think this one may well run on for some time. We've shown that if we set a price we stick to it but I reckon even Man City might wince at £30m.

Money absolutely is no object for them, I don't think they'd even blink at that price.  Let's just hope he has a cracking World Cup and gets one or two big European sides interested to push the price up a bit.  We've seen the last of him at VP I fear.

I disagree. I'm, not saying that they won't pay it (they might, they might not) but they will not just agree to it without blnking otherwise they make themselves look a soft touch.

[Concrete John]

To be honest, it seems strange to me that Milner would commit to Manchester City, of all people. He has time on his side, he doesn't need to go now, unlike Barry, and if he were to go he could go to more stable and established clubs than Manchester City. It'd be taking a huge risk on his career, in my opinion.

I'm not too sure.  It's been reported he won't go to Man Utd as he's a Leeds lad.  It may not have mattered to the likes of Alan Smith, but I do think Milner has more integrity than that.  Arsene Wenger can get better value abroad so wouldn't be interested.  Spurs may have broke the top 4, but I doubt they can afford to match £30m or the wages City will offer him, plus may not be that great a longterm bet.  Liverpool - no chance.  So, unless Chelsea come in then Man City are probably his best bet, should he want to go.

After reading three articles now (Mail, Times & Sun) I'd say it's likely this meeting did take place.  It's also logical that the club would want to sit down with him ASAP once he was back from England duty.  From here I can see it going a little like the Barry to Liverpool saga.  We understand the player wishes to leave, but we will firmly stick to out valuation and he won't go anywhere unless it is met.  The difference being I can't see Jimmy going crying to the papers and I think Man City will stump up what we want.

[Risso]

I think this one may well run on for some time. We've shown that if we set a price we stick to it but I reckon even Man City might wince at £30m.

Money absolutely is no object for them, I don't think they'd even blink at that price.  Let's just hope he has a cracking World Cup and gets one or two big European sides interested to push the price up a bit.  We've seen the last of him at VP I fear.

I disagree. I'm, not saying that they won't pay it (they might, they might not) but they will not just agree to it without blnking otherwise they make themselves look a soft touch.

I didn't mean that they've put a blank cheque in the post for whatever we want, but someone I know who has dealings with City said that they'd have paid whatever it takes to sign Lescott last year, and that they'll do the same with Milner this year.

[LeeB]

I was thinking about this yesterday on the way home from Bradford, I'm very much in the 'keep him' camp, but obviously that could prove to be very difficult if he's not happy to stay.

So my thoughts are that we should push them for £30m plus Onhuha. I think they'd go for that eventually.

That, plus say £10m transfer kitty and another £5m from sales (maybe more but I'll be cautious), gives us £45m with the defence covered, save for maybe an up and coming young left back.

Buy Parker, because he may be 29 but he's exactly what we need in midfield, he covers a huge area of midfield, can tackle, can keep the ball, can shoot and can thread a through ball. The player for now.

Buy Carlton Cole, it's not popular and I'm sure many could reel off plenty of reasons and stats why not but when I watch him play, he's developed his game immensley, in the same manner as Gabby has, he's got a great touch, is very strong, he's very quick and he can turn and get a shot away and create a chance for himself. I see him fitting in very well to our side.

And finally, buy Walcott. It's a risk worth taking. If the penny drops, and he's playing every week and he fulfills his potential then the money we'll have made off Milner would look like chicken feed.

I don't think any of those are out of our reach.

[SoccerHQ]

15m cash + Onouha and Ireland please.

Add to the 15m cash we get from selling other squad players and we should have 30m to spend on getting in another central midfielder, a good striker and a full back or two.

Whats the point?? We sign replacements manage to break the top 4 and our top players would still get cherry picked. If it happens to Arsenal what chance do we have? Just goes to show unless you have cash youre fucked.

So what?!

As long as the football club still exists and remains extremely competitive, then I don't care how leaves us each summer. The last time I go cut up about a player going was when Yorke left.

[Concrete John]

If our immediate aim is CL football, lets not forget that Spurs achieved this despite, and maybe infact because of, selling Berbatov and Carrick.

It's what we do with the money that will define our status in the game.

[Chris Smith]

If our immediate aim is CL football, lets not forget that Spurs achieved this despite, and maybe infact because of, selling Berbatov and Carrick.

It's what we do with the money that will define our status in the game.

True, if a deal is done in sufficient time for us to spend it. Lescott moving so late last summer screwed Everton for the first half of the season.

[The Man With A Stick]

As long as the football club still exists and remains extremely competitive, then I don't care how leaves us each summer. The last time I go cut up about a player going was when Yorke left.

Abso-flippin-lutely.  We've lost better players than James Milner in the past and will do so in the future.

Everyone thought it would be the end of the world when Platty left, but BFR invested that £5.5m really well and we were a much better team as a result.  If we get loads of cash and/or players as a result of this then hopefully MON can do the same.

[Concrete John]

Everyone thought it would be the end of the world when Platty left, but BFR invested that £5.5m really well and we were a much better team as a result.  If we get loads of cash and/or players as a result of this then hopefully MON can do the same.

It may not be quite as simple as this, but what would be better:-
Villa with James Milner?
or
Villa with Stephen Ireland and a new £20m striker?

Even as someone who has argued on this thread that Ireland isn't as good as Milner, I'd still go for Ireland and the striker every time!