James Milner to thrash out Villa future
Monday 28th June 2010, 11:30AM BST.
James Milner will leave for home today and attempt to put his England World Cup failure to one side by thrashing out his Villa future.
With England’s involvement in South Africa ended by yesterday’s humiliating 4-1 thrashing by Germany, Villa’s battle to hold on to their prize asset will be brought back into sharp focus with Manchester City poised to resume their attempts to land the 24-year-old.
Having already seen their opening offer of £20m rejected, a second bid closer to Villa’s £30m valuation could even arrive later this week with City eager to wrap up a deal before they head off on pre-season tour of the United States a fortnight today.
Villa have not given up hope of persuading the PFA Young Player of the Year, who has two years to run on his existing contract, to sign the bumper deal worth around £70,000 a week they put on the table before the World Cup. But, should that fail, they are determined to hold out for £30m.
A game of transfer ‘cat and mouse’ reminiscent of the Gareth Barry saga between Villa and Liverpool two years ago remains a distinct possibility if neither team budges in their valuation.
And weekend reports claimed the £12m club record signing, who featured in three of England’s four games in South Africa, is prepared to hand in a transfer request if Villa attempt to block a move.
A devastated Milner admitted England came up short. “We came here with high expectations and are disappointed to go out,” he said.
“We have not performed like we can. But you have to look forward and we move on. We put them (Germany) under pressure at the start of the second half and were on the front foot. We hit the bar as well and had that gone in, who knows what might have happened.
Elsewhere, John Carew will seek contract discussions with Villa when he returns to training next month. The striker has one year remaining on his existing deal.
UK Sport
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Another one-paced, one trick player with exorbitant transfer fee and reputation. £20 – £30 million, £70k a week, for what? A good engine? A selfless work ethic? Probably for being the best of a god awful bunch of England players. So what price Ozil? I’d say £120 million if using the maths of Man City. This entire story is another indictment of the state of our feeble game. He should come home, get back onto Bodymoor Heath and keep his head down.
Instead, he’ll doubtless stick on his oversized headphones, drown out any lingering thoughts of failure with a bit of Dizee Rascal, jump in his pimped up Range Rover and demand ‘showdown talks’ with the one manager who actually demands a bit of respect.
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Agree with comments. Milner made a couple of good crosses in the game versus the mighty Slovenia ( more than SWP who also has massize hedphones and Lennon who unfortunately stops running when he reaches the dead ball line; he should continue out of the stadium and run all the way home).However, he was as anonymous of most of the rest of the pamperred crew against Germany. Slightly quicker than Barry but whi isn’t but a long way to go to be a great player. He will fit in at City then.
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Football has gone mad.
How on earth is Milner worth £28 million, im going off football rapid.
He’s just another Trevor Stevens at best.
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Well said ben agree totaly
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Most of our so-called World Cup Squad looked worth five bob an’ a big opple to my weary eyes. If they do go up to £30million, your Mo’N should grab the money and buy 3 or 4 decent players to increase the squad size. Admittedly he looked the only player who could even get close to our strikers with his centres.
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Id echo the above points, MADNESS the money being spoke about for milner!
English football is so far behind other countries it’s untrue! our touch, disipline, ability to keep the ball are streets behind the bigger nations! not to mention the passion!
Paying these egos the amount of money the clubs do just drains these players of any drive and determination, if you had everything and the BEST of everything for that matter your attitude would quickly arrive at “HE HO WHO GIVES A…” and that is where english football is right now!
It doesn’t matter who is in charge! Because around 3 managers have had a go with this so called “GOLDEN GENERATION” and all come up some way short! It can’t really be Capello can it? take a look at they guys record! but some blame should lie at his feet when for years we have tried to accomadate lamps n gerrard in same team and IT JUST DOES NOT WORK! plus his comments that he will take and play the inform players in prem league and then …… DID NEITHER!!!
ENGLISH PLAYERS DEMAND HIGH WAGES AND FEES BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CANT WORK OUT WHY!
YES THE PREMIER LEAGUE IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN MY OPINION BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ENGLISH PLAYERS IN IT!! NO IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM!
RANT OVER……!
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The thing is gentlemen, i ask why us failing in this competition has come as a big shock to the English public.
Who, truthfuly among us who watch the game regularly couldn`t see that coming ?
I think the press, and indeed the media in general ALWAYS get carried away with our chances, and with respect to the majority of Joe public, they are all taken in by the “experts” propaganda.
For instance, before the game yesterday one of the comentators (not sure who) stated that only two of the German team would get in to Englands team !!
Is he serious ?
3 of their back four are better than any thing we have, then there is Ozil, Shwienstieger, Muller, and so on.
In ability, and aplication we are light years behind many teams let alone the Germans.
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