The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[pauliewalnuts]

For me, there's a double advantage in a player trade. It prevents MoN from having to look for a replacement for Milner (I know he has some points on the board for finding talent but I'm still nowhere near comfortable enough for him to be walking about with 25 mill in his back pocket) and it also shows that Man City aren't just a one-way vacuum cleaner for quality players.

It's up to him how he spends it, but with 25m in his pocket, I wouldn't be at all surprise to see him bring in Robbie Keane. McGeady and Jenas.

Can't we get them to pay us in book tokens or something instead?

[pauliewalnuts]

For me, there's a double advantage in a player trade. It prevents MoN from having to look for a replacement for Milner (I know he has some points on the board for finding talent but I'm still nowhere near comfortable enough for him to be walking about with 25 mill in his back pocket) and it also shows that Man City aren't just a one-way vacuum cleaner for quality players.

It's up to him how he spends it, but with 25m in his pocket, I wouldn't be at all surprise to see him bring in Robbie Keane. McGeady and Jenas.

Can't we get them to pay us in book tokens or something instead?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

15m + Ireland & Onuoha. Straight Cash will not get us as much for our money when it comes to be re-spent!

I can't imagine MON being very comfortable with £25m+ in his pocket. It would disrupt his trusted transfer stategy of pleading poverty and dragging the deals out before getting his man, plus I assume he's no Plan B.

Straight swap for Robinho? (winky)

[olaftab]

I reckon Mr Milner is  not going anywhere this season. After his non-performance at the World Cup  both Chelsea and City are not convinced  that he is worth the asking price.  City's strategy is to keep him and Villa waiting  and than pull away on 31 August.  This will aslo stop Chelsea even if they wanted to sign him as City would be paying more in wages.  Our problem is that this will stop Milner from extending his contract and if he does have another  great season   and still wants to get away we will get no more than 10/15 m as he  will be a free agent end of 2011/12 season.

So I think if City do come back with 25 ..take it.

[eastie]

If as being mooted milner wants to go- then he will go !

[Chris Jameson]

For me, there's a double advantage in a player trade. It prevents MoN from having to look for a replacement for Milner (I know he has some points on the board for finding talent but I'm still nowhere near comfortable enough for him to be walking about with 25 mill in his back pocket) and it also shows that Man City aren't just a one-way vacuum cleaner for quality players.

It's up to him how he spends it, but with 25m in his pocket, I wouldn't be at all surprise to see him bring in Robbie Keane. McGeady and Jenas.

Can't we get them to pay us in book tokens or something instead?

You're not thinking straight Paulie, Amazon vouchers surely?

[TheSandman]

For me, there's a double advantage in a player trade. It prevents MoN from having to look for a replacement for Milner (I know he has some points on the board for finding talent but I'm still nowhere near comfortable enough for him to be walking about with 25 mill in his back pocket) and it also shows that Man City aren't just a one-way vacuum cleaner for quality players.

It's up to him how he spends it, but with 25m in his pocket, I wouldn't be at all surprise to see him bring in Robbie Keane. McGeady and Jenas.

Can't we get them to pay us in book tokens or something instead?

Indeed. I'd be hopefully we can get Ireland as part of the deal and hopefully a player who plays right back (Onuhoa or Richards). Instead I think we will end up with overpriced tat like the three mentioned.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Can't we get them to pay us in book tokens or something instead?

You're not thinking straight Paulie, Amazon vouchers surely?

He'd only buy the collected works of Marillion & Fish

[pauliewalnuts]

This sounds a bit peculiar.

Worrying in that the Guardian are usually pretty on the money with Villa stories.

Reads as if we've decided not to bother trying to keep him.

Aston Villa's inertia suggests James Milner is off to Manchester City

• Villa fail to offer England midfielder new contract
• Manchester City set to increase opening £18m bid

James Milner has not asked for a move, but Aston Villa appear to be doing little to keep him out of Manchester City's hands

Aston Villa appear increasingly resigned to losing James Milner after it emerged the club is yet to offer the England international a new contract in the face of interest from Manchester City and that there are no talks scheduled between the two parties.

Milner remains a key target for City, who are expected to return with an improved bid after their opening offer of £18m, plus a further £2m in add-ons, was flatly rejected in May. Villa met Milner and his representative shortly after that bid was received to discuss his future, but the club's desire to hold on to the 24-year-old midfielder did not extend to them presenting him with a new deal and improved personal terms. That situation has remained unchanged.

Martin O'Neill, the Villa manager, said towards the end of last season that the club was keen to reward Milner, who has just entered the final two years of his contract, for his progress following an outstanding campaign which culminated in him being named PFA Young Player of Year. O'Neill had suggested talks would take place after the World Cup finals yet there has been no indication that when Milner returns at the end of the month, after being given an extended break following the World Cup, that he will be presented with a new contract proposal.

It appears that within Villa there is an acceptance it is all but certain Milner will seek to move this summer. Stewart Downing said on Thursday that he suspects his team-mate has "probably already made his decision" and earlier in the week O'Neill sounded pessimistic about Villa's chances of keeping Milner out of City's clutches. "Eventually, if players do want to leave the football club, or any football club for that matter, then it becomes more difficult than ever before," he said.

Milner is understood to be surprised at O'Neill's remarks because of the inference that he is agitating for a move away from Villa Park, despite the fact he has never pushed to be given the chance to join City.

Whether that stance changes should City fail to meet Villa's asking price, which is believed to be in excess of £25m, remains to be seen, although it seems highly unlikely the former Leeds trainee will submit a transfer request.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/16/aston-villa-james-milner-manchester-city

[TheSandman]

Can't we get them to pay us in book tokens or something instead?

You're not thinking straight Paulie, Amazon vouchers surely?

He'd only buy the collected works of Marillion & Fish

It's better than him spending a load of Kayleigh on Jermain Jenas though.

[PaulWinch again]

This sounds a bit peculiar.

Worrying in that the Guardian are usually pretty on the money with Villa stories.

Reads as if we've decided not to bother trying to keep him.

Aston Villa's inertia suggests James Milner is off to Manchester City

• Villa fail to offer England midfielder new contract
• Manchester City set to increase opening £18m bid

James Milner has not asked for a move, but Aston Villa appear to be doing little to keep him out of Manchester City's hands

Aston Villa appear increasingly resigned to losing James Milner after it emerged the club is yet to offer the England international a new contract in the face of interest from Manchester City and that there are no talks scheduled between the two parties.

Milner remains a key target for City, who are expected to return with an improved bid after their opening offer of £18m, plus a further £2m in add-ons, was flatly rejected in May. Villa met Milner and his representative shortly after that bid was received to discuss his future, but the club's desire to hold on to the 24-year-old midfielder did not extend to them presenting him with a new deal and improved personal terms. That situation has remained unchanged.

Martin O'Neill, the Villa manager, said towards the end of last season that the club was keen to reward Milner, who has just entered the final two years of his contract, for his progress following an outstanding campaign which culminated in him being named PFA Young Player of Year. O'Neill had suggested talks would take place after the World Cup finals yet there has been no indication that when Milner returns at the end of the month, after being given an extended break following the World Cup, that he will be presented with a new contract proposal.

It appears that within Villa there is an acceptance it is all but certain Milner will seek to move this summer. Stewart Downing said on Thursday that he suspects his team-mate has "probably already made his decision" and earlier in the week O'Neill sounded pessimistic about Villa's chances of keeping Milner out of City's clutches. "Eventually, if players do want to leave the football club, or any football club for that matter, then it becomes more difficult than ever before," he said.

Milner is understood to be surprised at O'Neill's remarks because of the inference that he is agitating for a move away from Villa Park, despite the fact he has never pushed to be given the chance to join City.

Whether that stance changes should City fail to meet Villa's asking price, which is believed to be in excess of £25m, remains to be seen, although it seems highly unlikely the former Leeds trainee will submit a transfer request.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/16/aston-villa-james-milner-manchester-city

Hmm that is strange if it's true.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

He'd only buy the collected works of Marillion & Fish

It's better than him spending a load of Kayleigh on Jermain Jenas though.

True. I'm as big a fan of Fish as Jenas :-[

I'd spend the vouchers on loads obscure stuff that turns out to be terrific. We need another Ashley Young.

[olaftab]

This sounds a bit peculiar.

Worrying in that the Guardian are usually pretty on the money with Villa stories.
Reads as if we've decided not to bother trying to keep him.

That may be so however the source of this story is   from 3  directions:
Milner's agent
The Downing article
So called  in-action at the Club.

Milner's agent is worried that the interest in his  man  is disappearing since the WC so he is trying to stalk it up.
The Downing article is  just an opinion and   likely to be no more than 50% correct at best and is also quoted out of context.
The in-action at the Club is   due to the fact that Milner is on holiday. He will be offered an extention because it simply makes sense. If he signs  it does not mean he will stay however  that would suit the Club  as shorter the contract lower the value they can extract in tranfer fee.
Believe me  no one is interested in Milner now at 20m+ and other players have emerged to replace him in the money queue.

[villa1]

For me, there's a double advantage in a player trade. It prevents MoN from having to look for a replacement for Milner (I know he has some points on the board for finding talent but I'm still nowhere near comfortable enough for him to be walking about with 25 mill in his back pocket) and it also shows that Man City aren't just a one-way vacuum cleaner for quality players.

It's up to him how he spends it, but with 25m in his pocket, I wouldn't be at all surprise to see him bring in Robbie Keane. McGeady and Jenas.

Can't we get them to pay us in book tokens or something instead?

Indeed. I'd be hopefully we can get Ireland as part of the deal and hopefully a player who plays right back (Onuhoa or Richards). Instead I think we will end up with overpriced tat like the three mentioned.

I'd rather he gave Luke Young another chance at right back and took an attacking player alongside Ireland instead.

[old man villa fan]

The trouble is that Milner is worth more to us than to any other club.  The only club that might pay what we want is Man City and it appears that they may not go that high.

We have to be careful that we are not forced to sell him for less than he is worth to us.

I think the previous poster is correct in saying that nothing is happening because Milner is away on holiday after the world cup.  It does not matter how much the media want a story, MON is the type of manager that appears to respect a players privacy and his time away from the club.  Just hope Milner sees it this way.