Rich_D

I've said it before, and will say it again. James Milner wants to play Champions League football. Fact. I have a source that has told me this that has spoken to James himself.

The understanding is unclear to when he wants it though. If he wants it now, he won't go to City, if he wants it in the next couple of years, he will stay for at least a year here and then reassess the situation.

Soldado will be at Atletico Madrid if Aguero jumps ship, or if Valencia can find some dosh he'll replace Villa.

No chance coming to us I'm afraid.

Who knows?

Can you really see MoN taking a punt on a foreign player? He does it every blue moon, and there isn't going to be another one.

If Milner goes, we should get N'Zonzi and Bentley in.

That'd give us plenty of options and a midfielder that does all the donkey work, scores a few screamers and with plenty of room for improvement.

It's spelt N'ZoGBIA :winkold:

.....no it isn't....

They are different players.(agreeing with you)

If you don't get what I was meaning, I'll spell it out shall I.

OP put N'Zonzi. Not a fan.

OP put Bentley. A fan.

I put N'Zogbia with an obvious wink to imply that i agree with Bentley but i'd have N'Zogbia instead of N'Zonzi....Jeeeeeeeeez

If Milner goes, we should get N'Zonzi and Bentley in.

That'd give us plenty of options and a midfielder that does all the donkey work, scores a few screamers and with plenty of room for improvement.

It's spelt N'ZoGBIA :winkold:

Why would he turn around and say he wants to stay at Villa next season? That would be going against Capello saying no transfer talk. Surely he's just listening to Capello, playing it safe for the time being, and will sort his Villa contract out after the WC.

He is going nowhere

if lyoung and beye are also going though, cuellar may well be at right back again, or at least have to play there sometimes if we only sign one right back for example, and with davies goin as well, that only leaves us dunne and collins really at centre half. However it was only a wish list so was morer along the lines of what id spend if money no object

You appear to think they MoN has come out and said that L Young, Beye and Davies are all defiantly up for sale. Link?

While L Young doesn't appear to be MoN number 1 choice, the fact that he has a wise head, gives 100% and can play RB and LB very comfortably are reasons he shouldn't go. Beye, yes. L Young and Davies, No.

Who are you planning on dropping is Hangeland came in? A more realistic, financially viable purchase would be Onouha (who can play CB and RB) and Richards (again can play CB and RB).

If money was no object, I think we could attract bigger names than Hangeland.

What about Defour? I'm sure he'll be linked again!

Few issues. Signed a new contract back in March. Ferguson has got his eye on this eye...even going as far to talk to him after he got injured to wish him well etc. You don't do that if your not wanting the player.

Moutinho is very overrated for me, he's played in a very poor Sporting side this season and has only gone to the Portugal training camp as one of 7 reserves, players such as Pedro Mendes, Tiago and Veloso have been preferred understandably.

Veloso, yes. DCM we need.

Moutinho, No.

He was in one of the legs of the 12-1 aggregate drubbing by Bayern wasn't he?

Yes. But i don't see your point? I'm not defending JM now, just i don't see your point.

With your point in mind, Milner was involved in the 7-1 drubbing by Chelsea.

Joao Mountinho please Martin.

Sorry, but did you see him against Everton?

Got taken off at Goodison. He is captain. He wasn't injured either. Such a poor poor performance from someone that has such a big reputation. Plays in a poor league where they have two competitive teams.

Is that the only game you have seen him in? The guy is immense. One poor performance doesn't mean the player is automatically a bad buy.

No. I've seen him in others games. I'll admit, not many. What games have you seen him play in?

Yes, i know, one bad game doesn't make a bad player...You tell that to all the Curtis 'The Pub Player' Davies who had one bad game!

Joao Mountinho please Martin.

Sorry, but did you see him against Everton?

Got taken off at Goodison. He is captain. He wasn't injured either. Such a poor poor performance from someone that has such a big reputation. Plays in a poor league where they have two competitive teams.

Ok then. Bentley joins as a squad player? Cover for Young, Downing and Milner?

He's far better and adaptable than Sidwell. After all, we don't have the best squad, and competition is healthy.

Bentley-Albrighton

Milner-KPB

NRC-Petrov

Young-Downing

Downing on the right is poor. His position is on the left. But Young is better.

On the right, Bentley would be far more useful than Downing.

Lets put it in perspective, I want to make it clear that I really rate Milner and think he is a truly great player and I want him to stay, but.... Look at it this way, if City upped their bid to Onoha + 22 millon and we took the 22 millon and bought Jenas, Keane and Bentley for 21 million (7 million each). Not have to be these three, feel free to put in three names that will fit into the budget of 22 million.

People must see then that we have a much stronger SQUAD then before, ofcourse we have a higher wage bill but I fully expect the likes of Beye, Sidwell, Carew and L Young moving on.

I understand your theory. Question the players. I'd also question the price we would have to pay for the players you mention.

We sell Milner. Teams know we have cash available. They up their prices for the players we are interested in. ATM i think Spurs rate those players more than 7m anyway. Just like what Everton did with Lescott, wanted more money because they knew City had it available

I would. I was merely thinking along the lines of MoN. He isn't going to drop our captain (well, captain from last season)

Still like the idea of implementing Miguel Veloso (yes, him again) into a DM role. He plays for a decent team, in a poorish league, but against Everton he looked assured, had energy, tackling ability, positional sense and can defiantly pick a pass.

Has anyone thought that it could be Ashley Young that we're actually replacing? Hence the reported interest in Bentley/ I wouldnt be surprised if their have been private talks from a club trying to get him. Don't wanna lose any of the but I would be happier to lose Ash than Milner.

Could be true. However, i feel all the young players at VIlla (Milner, Gabby, Young) all want to get Villa as far as possible, and when they feel they have given all they will be off. They haven't got Villa as far as possible, so none of them, IMO, will leave.

If the reports are true about Bentley, MoN is being clever for once and bringing in a player that will keep players like Milner, Young and Downing (basically the attacking force in our team) on their toes. Bentley is far more of threat to those players than Sidwell.

We don't need him on what basis?

A player that could mirror Milner. Albiet, probably not end up as good, but one that can play RW, CM, CAM and be a very good addition. Sidwell and Osbourne out, Bentley in.

EDIT. Some of Downings best play this season has been when he has picked the ball up in the centre and ran at the defence

Like i have said before, I have sources close to Milner, and obviously while i don't know how he feels about the link and neither do i know wether he will go, i know for sure that a huge wage packet offered by City will not influence the lad one bit!

I feel that it won't be the end of the speculation and the bids etc. however, he will stay.

Temperament of an immature school boy.

Shows signs of being a quality player still, even without consistent PL football. Probably just the same rumour that always pops up, but i would be very happy for the lad to come to Villa.

Bentley--Milner--Petrov--Young

or

--------------Petrov-----------------

-------Milner--------Downing-------

Bentley-----------------------Young

I just hope he stays this summer and can produce the type of football he did the season just gone.

Milner has the potential to be quality.

Many people on here are pointing out about players like Stephen Ireland that they have had good seasons in the past, but haven't shown it again the past season. He's inconsistent etc.

I just Milner doesn't do the same!

City fan here.

A couple of pages ago, one of your guys made me laugh for referring to United as 'having class'. After gaining a huge investment from a rapist (who knowingly sold poisonous meat to children) then later a Peeping Tom, they consistently bribed the families of young players they were interested in while breaking the transfer record in every single position on the pitch, then became a nomad club with no connection to their local area, sold themselves to the public on the Stock Market, then got bought by a bunch of leeches. During this time, they have been accused and charged of tapping up players on numerous different occasions, have a manager who always talks openly about other teams players, and display the type of arrogance as a club and as fans that you would expect from Pepe Le Pew.

We, on the other hand, have been taken over by a very rich man, who has brought the club back to the community, has just announced a £1bn investment into the downtrodden area of East Manchester which will revitalise the economy, have consistently given 'freebies' to fans such as the Fan Days, the cheapened ticket prices, and the sorting out of some annoying things such as a sheltered/heated Ticket Office.

May I suggest that you watch this interview with our Chairman before deciding that we are all a bunch of bastards, because we have had the cheek to bid for an exciting, young, English player who we think we may be able to attract with the lure of greater prospects of future success?

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Video/Interviews/Chairman-exclusive

This was recorded the day after the Spurs game by the way.

I personally view Man U as a class side in the way that they are consistently building a squad of youth and experience combined and have challenged for the title year after year for a while now.

The years of having youngsters like Scholes, the Neville bros, Beckham etc..

I think that Man City are "class" about as much as I think that winning the lottery is "class".

Man City are the equivalent of a tramp who found a pound in the kerb and then won the lottery.

Cheers for writing that out Rob. Saved me a bit of time doing it myself

Eduardo has glimpses of being a quality player. Goal scoring record at Arsenal is poor. Good last two seasons at Dinamo Zagreb, but their league can't be that strong. He's 27.

Bendtner has again, not a good scoring record, but has youth on his side. Probably could be a good partner with gabby.

It's a difficult one, and one that i don't envy MoN for having. Whoever we bring in, it's not going to be a world class striker, a already recognisable name, or one for a huge sum of money.

It does seem United are slowly becoming more popular because of the hatred of Liverpool and Man City.

Liverpool live in the past. Supporters are gobshites.

City are slowly ruining football.

Feels like i'm fighting a losing battle here then. He is by no means my 1st choice to join this summer, i just thought he would be a very affordable punt.

Different story for Fletcher for me. He looked, at times ill agree, like a potential good quality player that could work here.

My understanding of what Randy said was that players that don't play, need to go to raise capital, which will go on improved players, and if extra cash is needed for those, it will be there. Not that he is going to spend 10+m on another player.

Well my point is more that we can't just buy Boyd and that's it. The problem is that we don't have a top class striker alongside Agbonlahor. If we sign him and then Carew and Heskey go then I wouldn't mind too much if Boyd signed on a free as 3rd/4th choice but we need a main striker first.

I never said just buy him, and only him. Him to replace Heskey yes. Another striker in to possibly replace Carew. Who that player could be leaves me scratching my head if im honest. No one has suggested a realistic target that is quality (not that i can remember anyway)

The fact he said 'buy-to-sell' policy.

Money is available but not to spend a huge amount on one player.

The fact he said if an opportunity comes along the money is there, is, for me, taken with a pinch of salt.