Friday 19 December 2014 18:02, UK
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is confident England midfielder James Milner will soon sign a new contract with the club.
The 28-year-old is in the final season of his current deal and would be free to talk to other clubs from next month.
Reports emerged this week that contract talks had stalled between the parties but Pelligrini is hopeful Milner will commit his futures to the club in the near future, as Joe Hart did on Friday, extending his stay at the Etihad until the end of the 2018-19 season.
There are a lot of things to talk, to decide, discuss. I hope finally James will sign his contract.
When asked if he expected Milner to stay, Pellegrini said: "I think so. There are some differences that can be arranged.
"We are talking with James. It is not easy for all the players to sign a new contract. There are a lot of things to talk, to decide, discuss. I hope finally James will sign his contract."
The other major contract speculation at the Etihad Stadium concerns Frank Lampard's loan from sister club New York City, which is due to expire at the end of the month.
Pellegrini hopes to keep the influential 36-year-old until the end of the season and also claimed last week that Lampard wanted to stay longer.
"It is not just our decision. If you ask me if I want Frank to stay, of course I want him to stay,” the Chilean said.
"He is a very important player for our squad and he is playing very well, as the top player he is. Maybe in the next days we will be sure but I cannot be 100 per cent at this moment."
Pellegrini's most immediate concern is overcoming the absence of Vincent Kompany and all three of his frontline strikers for the visit of Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Kompany suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury at Leicester last week while forward Edin Dzeko hurt his calf in the warm-up and Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic were already sidelined.
The lack of forward options could mean another opportunity for 18-year-old Jose Angel Pozo or a change of system to utilise a midfielder such as Milner, David Silva or Samir Nasri in an advanced position.
Pellegrini said: "The strikers, the three of them, are out for tomorrow. We will try to play in another way. I hope that midfielders will arrive from the second line and we will score in another way.
"I know we play against a team that defend very well also so we will see what the best solution to play without them is."
