Thursday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

ASTON VILLA will not offer James Milner a new £70,000-a-week contract until after the World Cup.
And that keeps alive Manchester City's hopes of signing the England midfielder this summer.
It was thought that Milner went to South Africa with a deal on the table - and both parties deadlocked over an agreement.
But Milner has still to be formally offered fresh terms.
The £30million-rated player is due for more talks with boss Martin O'Neill and the Villa board when he returns home, with figures yet to be discussed. O'Neill promised Milner a new contract in March even though his current deal has two years to run.
City tried to nab the former Newcastle player with a £20m offer last month.
But that was swiftly rejected by Villa who are bracing themselves for a second approach.

David Silva wants to leave Spain for England
• Manchester City and Chelsea favourites for signature
David Silva, the Spain international midfielder, has had a change of mind about moving to England and is deliberating whether to choose Manchester City or Chelsea amid firm interest from both clubs.
Silva's reluctance to leave Spain was described as unflinching when City opened formal talks with Valencia at the end of last season but the player has gradually come round to the idea of playing in the Premier League, not least because of the realisation that Real Madrid's new manager, José Mourinho, is not keen on recruiting him.
Barcelona also have other targets, having already signed David Villa from Valencia, and Silva is now left with a choice of remaining at Valencia or moving to England. His representatives have informed Valencia in the last 48 hours that he would like to take the option of a transfer.
That now boils down to a straight choice between City or Chelsea depending on a financial arrangement being agreed with his current club. That, however, is proving far from straightforward, with Valencia asking around €40m (£33.2m), a fee that is considered exorbitant at Eastlands and Stamford Bridge.
City were the first club to register an official interest in the 24-year-old and have the financial power to offer more than Chelsea in terms of both the transfer fee and the player's salary, which currently stands at £3m a year and could easily be doubled if he were to join Roberto Mancini's team. Chelsea, however, have the lure of playing in the Champions League next season and of joining a club that has just deposed Manchester United as champions.
Silva is described as open-minded but it is understood he marginally favours Chelsea on the basis that City's reputation in Spain is not yet of one of Europe's more powerful clubs, at least not in football terms. The likelihood is that he will wait until after the World Cup in case a good tournament persuades Madrid or Barcelona to look into his availability.
City's pursuit of Silva partly originates from their knowledge that two of their more creative players, Robinho and Stephen Ireland, both want to leave the club this summer. Robinho, one of Brazil's more impressive players in the 2-1 defeat of North Korea, has made it clear he does not want to return to Manchester when his loan arrangement with Santos expires on 4 August and his representatives are due to meet the City chief executive, Garry Cook, to make that official. That meeting was due to take place today but will now be held next week.

Chelsea join Man City and Arsenal in £20m race for Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil
Arsenal have earmarked the 21-year-old as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas, while City have long been alerted to his potential.
Chelsea could pip them both, though, after it emerged they made tentative enquiries about his availability nearly two years ago, after he joined Werder Bremen from Schalke.
They have watched his development since and noted his refusal to renew a contract that has just 12 months to run.
Arsenal, who are also monitoring PSV winger Ibrahim Afellay, have made a fresh enquiry for Osasuna's highly rated full back Cesar Azpilicueta.
Osasuna want £12m but are struggling financially, so may accept less to get a deal done quickly.

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Italian giants Juventus have offered Arsenal defender William Gallas, whose contract with the Gunners expires on 30 June, a two-year contract. Daily Mirror

Sunderland are lining up a bid for Borussia Dortmund's Paraguay striker Nelson Haedo Valdez, with the German club wanting £8m for the 26-year-old. Daily Mirror

Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli is set to turn down Birmingham City to remain with the Serie A club. Daily Mail

Fulham have made an official approach for Aston Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell. Daily Mirror

Fulham, Blackburn and West Ham are all keeping tabs on Bristol City striker Nicky Maynard, whose club has already rejected a £3.75m offer from Burnley. Daily Mirror

Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Feyenoord's 16-year-old midfielder Kyle Ebecilio when he becomes available on 1 July - the Gunners will only have to pay about £500,000 for the Dutch Under-17 star.
Daily Mirror

Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who is wanted by former club Barcelona, has risked another fall-out with the Gunners by criticising the club's preparations for games. Daily Mirror

But Barcelona's chase for Fabregas has been nudged down the Catalans' priority list after new president Sandro Rossell and manager Pep Guardiola earmarked Liverpool's Fernando Torres as their primary target. Daily Mail

However, Barcelona will increase their bid for Fabregas to £40m - but that will be their maximum offer. (Daily Star)

Wigan hope to finalise a deal for Honduras international midfielder Emiliano Izaguierre after the World Cup. Daily Mail

Sunderland have launched a £6m bid for Schalke's Germany international defender Heiko Westermann. Daily Mail

Ex-Arsenal winger Robert Pires, who is a free agent after being released by Villarreal, says he is wanted by Birmingham and Leicester. The Sun

Burnley have bid £1.75m for Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham. The Sun

Germany midfielder Michael Ballack, who has been released by Chelsea, is being lined up for a move to Bayer Leverkusen. (The Sun)

England boss Fabio Capello will scrutinise Robert Green's final preparations in training before Friday's Group C fixture against Algeria but is increasingly inclined to retain the West Ham goalkeeper as his first choice for the critical match in Cape Town.Guardian

[kinkylola]

good bollox today ... I would love silva at the club, I think he's a quality player. Ozil as well. Even just one player like that will go a long way towards catapulting us to the lofty heights of chumps league football ... and beyond. What we really really really lacked (despite the talk about left backs, CB's .. etc ...) was a talented creative mid. Ireland would have been perfect. .. but who knows where his head is gone, and who knows if we can rely on him.

[Vhero]

good bollox today ... I would love silva at the club, I think he's a quality player. Ozil as well. Even just one player like that will go a long way towards catapulting us to the lofty heights of chumps league football ... and beyond. What we really really really lacked (despite the talk about left backs, CB's .. etc ...) was a talented creative mid. Ireland would have been perfect. .. but who knows where his head is gone, and who knows if we can rely on him.

Agreed Would prefer both rather than 1. City make it happen!