City bid for Milner is £20m

Mancini's men come in with huge offer for Villa star

Last updated: 20th May 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

City bid for Milner is £20m

Milner: City target

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Sky Sports sources have confirmed that Manchester City's bid for James Milner is £20million.

Skysports.com revealed earlier this week that a bid had been made by City for the England international star.

Now sources have confirmed to Sky Sports News that the initial bid to land Milner is for £20million.

It is believed the offer includes other add-ons which would see the deal increased to around £25million.

The bid is now sitting on the boardroom table at Villa Park as they consider their options.

Both owner Randy Lerner and manager Martin O'Neill have insisted over recent weeks that they wanted Milner to stay.

Now City have tested their resolve and hope to beat the likes of rivals Manchester United to Milner's prized signature.

Milner is currently with England's World Cup squad at their pre-tournament training camp in Austria.

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Comments (58)

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Aussie Spurs (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Because of money, because of the potential and the players desire for these, they leave. I hope you're just emotional when you say that you won't support Villa if they sell Milner. The team is bigger than the man, always (and I know you know this). I'm a Spurs fan and for years I've had to watch Tottenham groom their players to sell them off to Man U. For a while we had to duel with Newcastle for a players signature. It's always about money and potential. Spurs have that potential now so they just might keep their best players (whoever you judge them to be) but if Man U or Juve or Inter come looking, we could get scuppered again. There is always a bigger fish, just ask Arsene.

Posted 04:42 20th May 2010

Liam Shewring (Aston Villa fan) says...

Confirmed...Milner bid has been rejected! And I am glad! Man City aint EVER gunna get champions league, let alone win the premier league. I can see them tryin to buy so many players this summer, and majority of them turning them down. Cus why would anyone wanna take a step backwards, and go to a club where they'll enjoy a few games, and then become a bench warmer! At first i'll admit i was jealous about city and their cash, but now, i am so glad its not us who's got it all, cus look how its turned all their fans around, they have got to be like 1000 times more hated than their red rivals, i actually enjoyed watchin man utd this season, and finally developed a nice respect for them. But as for city, im sure the rest of the country will back me up when i say that give it a few seasons, and they'll have been dropped right back down to earth when their owners get bored of playin with them. i also rekon that as their owners come from afar, they actually got mixed up with city and united, thinkin they were buyin united and ended up with city, just like robinho, he probably thought he was goin to united, but ended up at city, which shows how disapponted he was with how poorly he played for city! Roll on 2010-11! Villa for life! MON all the way!

Posted 03:11 20th May 2010

Sal Matrioni (Manchester United fan) says...

Everything is so inflated. Since Ronaldo was bought for 80m all these clubs over value their places and over price everyone. Milner is an excellent player, but no where near worth 80m. 20m can get Villa a solid replacement and keep some left over.

Posted 03:04 20th May 2010

Simon Amstell (Chelsea fan) says...

Ha Aquliani cost 20 million! Please who are City kidding, Villa are not a rich club but they are not that hard up

Posted 03:02 20th May 2010

Lee Wilson (Manchester United fan) says...

When James Milner moved to Aston Villa, people saw him as no more than an 'average' player. With the right guidance from Martin O'Neill and the rest of the coaching staff at Villa Park, Milner has moulded into 1 of the best midfielders in the Premier League, without a doubt. I believe that for Milner to move to Man City at this point in his career, he'd be taking a step in the wrong direction. Man City don't have the coaching staff to take Milner to the next level. Whereas if he moved to United, he'd have the full backing of Sir Alex & his staff, who we all know can turn players world-class given a few seasons. When Ronaldo was brought to O.T, nobody had heard of him. A few years on, and he becomes the best player in the world. Rooney was a good player when we bought him, now he's 1 of [If not] the best. Milner moving to City would mean that he'll never become all that much better than he is now, and he's only 24. However, if he moved to United, he'd be probably the best midfielder in the world by the time he was 26. If Milner has any sense, he'll realise that to become a better player than what he is, he'll need to join the redder half of Manchester. SAF keeps saying he needs a goalscoring midfielder, and I say offload Anderson, grab Milner and let him take over the No.8 shirt.

Posted 02:58 20th May 2010

Danny Williams (Sunderland fan) says...

Love Raymond Gorman's comment!!! £80Mil!!!! hahaha get real! take the deal, £20 mil will give money to Martin O'Neil, he is such an experienced coach that he will spend that on making Villa so much better. Would you have bought Milner for that price a few years ago!?!? NO! Please trust a manager that has brought you so close to European football on such a small budget!!!!!!!

Posted 02:44 20th May 2010

Paul Chandler (Chelsea fan) says...

I hope he stays. It was a tremendous battle for 4th this past season. Villa need a scorer to add to the squad as that was what prevented them from getting 4th. ManCity has performed enough raids. Maybe they should try developing themselves as a TEAM. Milner is more valuable to Villa than would whatever parts they could buy with the 20 million.

Posted 02:25 20th May 2010

Liam Connerney (Manchester United fan) says...

I hope Man City buy him, I thought they had all the money in the world and then they are about to buy about the 6th best English midfielder. It really shows where Man City are aiming for! I can Name 10 better midfield players in the leauge of the top of my head.

Posted 02:23 20th May 2010

Sam Miller (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Villa would be crazy to sell such a talent, as a Spurs fan it's been infuriaitng seeing us sell class talent season after season for the money, just to regroup and do it all over again. Villa pushed us all the way this season and but for a few results could have pipped us, why sell Milner? He's going to be a huge star at the world cup this summer and a with Boateng and whoever else City blow their money on this season is Milner really going to get regular football???? Stay with the villians and pray that Lerner and O'Neill invest wisely up front as Abonglahor needs some support!! Failing that, come to Spurs and help us in the Champions League!!

Posted 02:13 20th May 2010

George Roberts (Manchester United fan) says...

I believe that aston villa deserve to hang on the milner, Manchester City are an embarrassment to english football, i dont believe Manchester United should either

Posted 02:06 20th May 2010

Rob Duggan (Berwick Rangers fan) says...

keep milner regardless of how much is offered. we got rid of barry lets not lose the best midfielder in england for his age. sign ireland and joe cole. also sign one if not two prolific strikers. defence is solid. dunne and collins match terry or vidic any day. villa are very close. o neill all the way

Posted 02:03 20th May 2010

Russ Bowen (Aston Villa fan) says...

Selling milner would make an absolute mockery of villa wanting to be a "top 4 club" and competing in the champions league. Losing Barry was a huge blow but milner has more than filled his boots, he is a player we desperately need to keep if we are to push for that champions league spot again next year and with another couple of decent signings I believe we can be serious contenders. UTV!

Posted 01:43 20th May 2010

Sideshow Bob (Arsenal fan) says...

Yes james milner is a good player but if he is worth 20M...first offer, then what should barca have to fork out for cesc??? has to be 60M minimum!!!

Posted 01:38 20th May 2010

Stephen F (Aston Villa fan) says...

I think James Milner was exceptional this season for us an would LOVE him to stay an Martin O'Neill to build on the squad but if we could get 1 or 2 quality players plus cash then i think it might be a good move. It would be foolish to accept the 1st off put on the table by Man City. Martin O'Neill should look to get 2 of theses 3 players - Michah Richards, Stephen Ireland and Craig Bellamy plus 20 mill..!! Also delighted MON stayed on this season..!

Posted 01:31 20th May 2010

Thomas Mcnicholas (Aston Villa fan) says...

I hope Aston Villa have a bit more bottle and don't accept this offer, 20 million is an insult to the cailber of player James Milner is, we have already lost Barry last season, we don't need to lose any more of our quality players. If we ever have aspirations of getting into the top 4, we need to hold on to players like milner, downing, young and gabby. As someone else has pointed out all we need is a prolific striker, who i'm not sure! Maybe another target man, carew is nearly finished and heskey just isn't up to it. Please don't go milner, you will never be appreciated as much at city as you are at villa. C'mon the villa. Top 4 next season and a good run in the europa league, it would be nice to see them at the new aviva stadium next year here in Ireland.

Posted 01:25 20th May 2010

Ralph Connor (Aston Villa fan) says...

As usual money talks and competitive football will be the poorer for it. I hope Aston villa are not that stupid to sell Milner. They should go on to build a team to really challenge four of the premier league. Come on Villa have some real ambition and stop being the cannon fodder the likes of Man City and Man Utd The premier league is already so predictable and boring, its up to teams like real teams like Villa. Everton to stand up for real competitive football, rather than than rich clubs buying titles and trophies.

Posted 01:11 20th May 2010

Jarvis Jarvismachine (Manchester United fan) says...

I hope Villa reject the move. I am not bothered about City having him, but I think in order to get better he needs to develop at his own pace at a place he is comfortable with. At City he'll just be flavour of the month and then cast aside and that's not what we want for him. Especially as he's looking to be one of England's best future stars.

Posted 01:08 20th May 2010

Jamma Dee (Aston Villa fan) says...

I really hope we dont sell milner, hes been our most consistent player all season. Plus, who would we bring in to replace him? Not many players of his quality are cheap. He should stay and hopefully help the villa progress. UP THE VILLA!

Posted 01:06 20th May 2010

Rich Stokes (Aston Villa fan) says...

I don't think £20 million will be enough to sway Lerner or MON, maybe something like Stephen Ireland plus £13 million perhaps, since then we're getting another quality player in return, let's face it, it's not like Man City can't afford it. I would be sad to see Milner leave though, we do need to keep a hold of our best players otherwise Lerner and MON are going back on there promise to want to compete with the best, so it wouldn't paint them in a particularly good light with the fans unless they got a particularly good deal from it, and £20 million isn't enough. The other thing is, Milner is a bit of a rare breed, sure money talks and no doubt they'll offer him ridiculous amounts for his wages but at the end of the day, he has his feet on the ground and he wants to play football. I really can't see him playing as many games as he would want to play there, whereas he's first choice all the way at Villa. Besides, they don't hold the sway of Champions League football next season either. If we offload some of the deadwood, get something for Reo-Coker, Sidwell, maybe even Shorey and (fingers crossed but not expecting anything) Heskey, and buy a creative midfielder and a proper striker, we could have a really good season.

Posted 01:05 20th May 2010

Drew Whitehead (Leeds United fan) says...

To all Villa fans - most of us were upset when amongst others we had to sell Milner to you in the first place.........but we didn't threaten to stop supporting our team like some of you.

Posted 00:51 20th May 2010
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