now O'Neill wants to sell Milner

[Wonderwall]

Poor MO'N looks like a gimp now he is trying to offload Milner publicly on ssn

[Blue Blood]

Poor MO'N looks like a gimp now he is trying to offload Milner publicly on ssn

He has no money.

He needs to sell Milner to keep the villa ship sailing, if he doesn't the top stars will be gone in no time and villa back to mid table mediocrity!

He'll be ours for 20 million within the next few weeks.

[lets all have a disco]

Poor MO'N looks like a gimp now he is trying to offload Milner publicly on ssn

He has no money.

He needs to sell Milner to keep the villa ship sailing, if he doesn't the top stars will be gone in no time and villa back to mid table mediocrity!

He'll be ours for [strike]20 million[/strike] within the next few weeks.

18 MILLION WITH ADD ONS.

[ronk]

Poor MO'N looks like a gimp now he is trying to offload Milner publicly on ssn

He has no money.

He needs to sell Milner to keep the villa ship sailing, if he doesn't the top stars will be gone in no time and villa back to mid table mediocrity!

He'll be ours for [strike]20 million[/strike] within the next few weeks.

18 MILLION WITH ADD ONS.

You should get used to thinking that we're going to be paying out on a lot of ad-ons like CL qualification, league placement, trophies etc.

[Mrs Given]

Looks like Mancini is a bit more savvy in the transfer market than Hughes was, he has just sat back and waited instead of keep going back with more and more money like Hughes did for Lescott, which was a bit embarrassing and just gave the press the fodder they needed!!

[Scatman]

Poor MO'N looks like a gimp now he is trying to offload Milner publicly on ssn

He has no money.

He needs to sell Milner to keep the villa ship sailing, if he doesn't the top stars will be gone in no time and villa back to mid table mediocrity!

He'll be ours for [strike]20 million[/strike] within the next few weeks.

18 MILLION WITH ADD ONS.

RSC and Jo?

[john@staustell]

Looks like Mancini is a bit more savvy in the transfer market than Hughes was, he has just sat back and waited instead of keep going back with more and more money like Hughes did for Lescott, which was a bit embarrassing and just gave the press the fodder they needed!!

I always felt Villa were more desperate for cash to strengthen than we are to buy Milner. But I think they feel a little embarrassed by the indecent haste and relatively low price with which they let us have Barry.

[Manx Blue]

Maybe Villa have a few bob ( tho not too much) I wonder if they had been quietly sniffing around Landon Donovan, as their attitude appears to have changed rather quickly?

[ronk]

Looks like Mancini is a bit more savvy in the transfer market than Hughes was, he has just sat back and waited instead of keep going back with more and more money like Hughes did for Lescott, which was a bit embarrassing and just gave the press the fodder they needed!!

I always felt Villa were more desperate for cash to strengthen than we are to buy Milner. But I think they feel a little embarrassed by the indecent haste and relatively low price with which they let us have Barry.

I think they were holding out on an early deal because they were expecting Milner's star to rise at the World Cup and are now resigning themselves to selling him for less (than their dreams).

There's also the fact that we've made some good signings and aren't really at all desperate for Milner.

[Esky]

I really hope we've walked away from this one. He had a good twelve months - so did Stevie the season before. Lets save ourselves 20 million and leave a close rival to their penny pinching.

With Johnson x 2, SWP, Bellamy, Toure, Ireland, Barry, De Jong and Silva we don't need him at all, let alone desperately.

[Blue Blood]

I really hope we've walked away from this one. He had a good twelve months - so did Stevie the season before. Lets save ourselves 20 million and leave a close rival to their penny pinching.

With Johnson x 2, SWP, Bellamy, Toure, Ireland, Barry, De Jong and Silva we don't need him at all, let alone desperately.

Rotation, That is the word.

Johnson Barry Toure Milner.

Silva De Jong Ireland SWP.

Two top midfields needed, two top midfields to pick from there.

Simples.

[lets all have a disco]

I really hope we've walked away from this one. He had a good twelve months - so did Stevie the season before. Lets save ourselves 20 million and leave a close rival to their penny pinching.

With Johnson x 2, SWP, Bellamy, Toure, Ireland, Barry, De Jong and Silva we don't need him at all, let alone desperately.

Rotation, That is the word.

Johnson Barry Toure Milner.

Silva De Jong Ireland SWP.

Two top midfields needed, two top midfields to pick from there.

Simples.

Four English!!!!!

Sepp and Michel wont be happy.

[Beeks]

I think a few on here slagging Milner should take a step back

Like Lescott he doesn't dictate the price he goes for

He us actually a very good player and will do well for us IMO

I have visions of Bellamyesque climb downs on this forum in the next few months

[Esky]

That leaves out Bellamy, M Johnson, Robinho and Weiss.

I'm all for rotation but we can do better than Milner without strengthening the side that finished a place below us last season.

[john@staustell]

That leaves out Bellamy, M Johnson, Robinho and Weiss.

I'm all for rotation but we can do better than Milner without strengthening the side that finished a place below us last season.

Well M Johnson, Robson and Weiss wont really affect much in the great scheme of things will they? Johnson may or not ever get fit, Robson will be off, and Weiss aint good enough - by a long way (despite the fact that some people on here want to continue his 'development' until he's about 29!). Plenty of room for Bellamy. Get away from this 'first team' concept and think big, strong squad(s).

As a matter of interest - why are you looking with fear at a poor Villa side below us instead of at our targets Chelski and Scum?

What Villa do is irrelevant to us. And we are weakening them, by the way, taking the guy they wanted to make their best paid player ever!

Bobby's decision.

[BobKowalski]

Seems we are now in the end game of a predictable saga. Milner is a top class buy and am delighted he will be joining. Personally I think the fee has been agreed for a while and we have just been doing the dance of the seven veils to make it easier for MoN and Villa.

LB looks sorted so its just a question of landing a striker and then we put a fork in it and declare ourselves done.

[Ted Hughes]

I think it's a case of; Milner's been on holiday after the World Fiasco, back on Monday, signs for City shortly afterwards.

I agree with IBH, lots of people will start to realise why we signed him once he settles into the team & I predict that he'll be one of our most consistent performers away from home.

[Chinners]

Aston Villa boss O'Neill prepared to sell Milner B*ll*x

Milner joined Villa in 2008
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill says he is prepared to sell James Milner after the player expressed his desire to leave the club.

The England World Cup midfielder, 24, who joined Villa from Newcastle for £12m in 2008, was subject of a rejected £20m bid from Manchester City in May.

"I had a conversation with James before the World Cup and he intimated that he'd like to go," said O'Neill.

"I'd imagine things will be resolved in the foreseeable future."

The Villa boss added: "City made an offer but it did not meet our valuation.

"I'm sure matters will be resolved soon. James is back next week having had extended holiday."

606: DEBATE
What do you think of Milner's decision?
Should Milner leave for Eastlands then it would be the second high-profile midfielder to leave the Midlands club for their rivals in two seasons, following Gareth Barry's £12m transfer to Manchester City last season.

City manager Roberto Mancini said this week that Milner remained on his shopping list, but that he did not want his club's spending power to be exploited by their competitors.

"When Manchester City want to buy a player, other clubs ask much more than is normal," stated the Italian.

"This is not good and it is not right. Until today, it is only City that are moving the market.

"We have bought three good players already. But now Inter Milan, for example, are asking a lot of money for striker Mario Balotelli, and we want to wait.

"We are interested in good players like Balotelli and Milner but we have time before the market closes in August. We have a lot of different choices."

Aston Villa centre-back Richard Dunne moved to the club from Manchester City last summer and has faith in O'Neill to replace Milner if the midfielder inevitably moves on.

At Aston Villa he (Milner) will play every week, at Manchester City he may not

Aston Villa defender Richard Dunne
"It's part of football," said Dunne. "He has had a great season so teams are going to be interested. If a club is going to offer enough money then players will move on.

"The manager has proven he can pick out a good player and usually, like James, he has bought them for a cheaper price than what he sells them for.

"The club will miss James who has been brilliant but we have to move on and the manager will build again, I suppose.

"James will know, because he is moving to a big club which wants to win the league, that he will be part of a squad. At Aston Villa he will play every week, at Manchester City he may not.

"But it's the opportunity where he thinks he can go and win the league.

"Man City is great club and he will enjoy himself there. Team-wise it's going to be difficult for everyone to get in the team."

[Dingus McDouchey]

i want him so the rags can't have him. he is a much better fit over there than with us.
i think he's a quality player and would help us, but i see him thriving more and playing a lot more with the scum.
they've got some question marks in midfield (carrick, anderson, hargreaves) and this could be the last season for giggs and scholes.
they would do well adding milner to that mix for youth and versatility.

[Dingus McDouchey]

"James will know, because he is moving to a big club which wants to win the league, that he will be part of a squad. At Aston Villa he will play every week, at Manchester City he may not.

"But it's the opportunity where he thinks he can go and win the league.

"Man City is great club and he will enjoy himself there. Team-wise it's going to be difficult for everyone to get in the team."

dunney pretty much confirms he's coming to us, no?