SPECULATION : Milner to City/Utd/Chelsea/Spurs

[flatty]

Although I am disappointed that Milner has seemingly asked for the move I can understand his motives for doing so.

I think that MON has played this the best way possible. I’ve no idea how much funding we would have if Milner didn’t leave but with 30 million being touted that would allow us to bring in 3,4 maybe 5 quality players. Providing this doesn’t drag out to the point where there isn’t enough time to bring players in with the proceeds.

I’d take Ireland as part of the deal without a doubt, he may not be as versatile as Milner but he’s a very similar standing imo to him in the middle of the park so Ireland and 20 Million ish would be a pearler of a deal in my eyes.

Just hope we bring in the right players, Milner leaving, it seems we have little power to do anything about if City reach the valuation but bringing the right players ie strikers who can score 20 + goals we can.

[thecraft]

Or what if someone looking like James Milner talked to someone from the news of the world who was dressed like a sheik and the lookalike double bluffed the fake sheik into handing over one million dollars. This was then taken to the real James Milner by someone who looked like Martin O’Neill. The real James Milner wasnt sure about the one million dollars as Martin O’Neill suddenly had a Russian accent but still took the money for his signing on fee at Man City. The real Martin O’Neill got wind of this via his drone that flies regularly over his players homes, he then realised that Milner did want a move to Man City. Martin O'Neill does an interview saying that James wanted to leave the world cup, which is actually code to give the go ahead for James's assassination, James then through the papers says he is being forced out of Villa park which is actually code for you'll never find me mwah ha ha ha ha and thats where we find ourselves today.

This is 100% what happened! How did you find out? :shock:

[LoughboroughLion]

This could turn very very sour.

[Maradona10]

Hopefully its completed by the time he returns on Monday.

[swaib2004]

I think O'Neill has played the right card and tried to stop all the saftness of t he press and Man City. Basically said he wants to go (obviously he has spoken to Milner), so once Man City pay his asking price, he will let him go. Now it is up to man city to pay the price he actually wants and stop the stupid games they are playing.

They have unsettled Milner turned his head and for some reason wants to ruin his career, lets let him go get the 24m or more in and buy better and watch is career falter.

I Do think Milner is a cracking player but Man City is the wrong move for him, but we can buy better with that money and can get 2 maybe 3 players as hungry as Milner was, for that sort of money.

[barry'sboots]

Milner has kept very quiet amid all of the speculation which suggests to me that he does want to leave but doesn't want to be seen as a bad guy. He could quite easily have come out and said that he was more than happy at Villa and was looking forward to the new season with his team mates as, say, Doyle has at Wolves and Ash has recently. This doesn't mean that you won't move if a deal is agreed but by not even stating this it suggests to me that he hasn't wanted to discourage suitors and has wanted to go from the start of the rumours etc..

[Hanky]

£20 million + Ireland would do me nicely.

[Bazmonkey]

I'd imagine Milner was quite popular in the villa dressing room and I'd imagine that the likes of young, downing, gabby, dunne, delph etc.. Wouldn't want to play for a club that forces not only their mate out but also one of the teams best players.

It would be a ridiculous move from the club to try and force him out. If true I'm sure we'll see some angry comments from other players soon.

I wouldn't necessary say were forcing him out, Milner has not once said he would like to stay if anything he has forced the hand MON to come out and say what he did, by Milner not committing.

He could have come out when Man City first showed an interest and said ‘No, I want to stay at Villa’ therefore case closed BUT he didn’t and were now 3 weeks away from the start of the season, unfortunately football is a business and when the amount of money being touted is seriously big even Randy or MON have to give in to this.

As with anything like this all it takes is someone to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ blimey were in an age of mobiles and email its not like were waiting for Milner’s decision to come by carrier pigeon form far away. I’m sure if Milner came out today and said he wants to stay MON would gladly except that end all this bollocks, which it is, and move on in to the new season BUT at the same time as football is now a business and 20 odd mil is not easy to be turned away, if its there on the table.

[stewiek2]

I heard somethng interesting off someone regards plop last night, who reckons that Uncle Woy will push for £25m for Mascherano and put all that money our way for Jimmy. Apparently starfish has been a player Milner has always admired and as such the scouse word removed has been rather busy pushing the club to him during the world cup. So I've heard.

I actually think Dither is using being clever. He knows Milner wants out, that Citeh are desperate to sign him, however he knows that they aren't the only club interested and so is flushing out the other intereted clubs by going public.

[kkr]

At the end of the day James Milner is nothing without this football club and MON. He was rotting at Newcastle before we signed him and before MON turned him into the player that he is today.

He will go to Man City and get lost amoung their abundance of quality midfielders and start to rot again like he did at Newcastle, and infact the sooner he goes now the better off we are without the dirty turncoat bastard and with £30m in the bank instead.

All this talk of how will MON manage to replace him is nonsense because he did it when we lost Laursen and Barry, two much more significant players and losses to the team than Milner will be.

£25-30m and we have mugged them. Id take Hart, Richards and Ireland straight up and if they are feeling generous they can offload Bellamy in our direction as well.

[Jez]

£20 million + Ireland would do me nicely.

Thats just not going to happen.

Currently City have offered 18mill plus 2mill add ons, its anyones guess if thats their maximum valuation.

I would imagine its nearer 25.

So thats meaning they would value Ireland at 5mill, i'd hazard a guess they value him at more than 5.

[Hanky]

£20 million + Ireland would do me nicely.

Thats just not going to happen.

Currently City have offered 18mill plus 2mill add ons, its anyones guess if thats their maximum valuation.

I would imagine its nearer 25.

So thats meaning they would value Ireland at 5mill, i'd hazard a guess they value him at more than 5.

I originally put it as £15-20 million which is more realistic, but realised it seems we need the money.

Anyway I don't think it will happen.

[cheltenham_villa]

i think City will value Ireland at around 15m. Im sure a few other clubs would pay it.

[Harry]

This is now getting interesting. Who do we believe? My guess is that the answer lies somewhere between the two.

My guess is that the meeting before the World Cup at which both Randy Lerner and Paul Faulkner were present along with MON, Milner and his agent was an attempt to get Milner to commit to Villa. Milner, quite rightly IMO, said he did not want to discuss it until after the World Cup. The attendees at that meeting tell us all we need to know about how serious Villa were to keep him.

Post the World Cup Milner goes on holiday and MON hears nothing except tosspots like James Nursey in the Mirror making things up. He gets fed up and tries to force the situation. He maybe expected Milner to contact him or the club and he has not and maybe Milner expected the club to contact him. Either way its a cock up. The interview yesterday smacks to me of MON trying to force Milner's hand.

Now if Milner has expressed a desire to go MON is spot on with what he has said. Conversely if Milner has not its another example of MON being a touch heavy handed with a player as its tantamount to putting the 'For Sale' sign over him. Either way I don't think it makes the club look too clever.

[vi11ain]

i think City will value Ireland at around 15m. Im sure a few other clubs would pay it.

I'm not sure Ireland's worth 15 big one's.

I'd say he's worth between 5 and 10 so I don't think we would be wrong asking for him plus £20 million.

Whatever happens with this it will be interesting to see how MON spends the money if and when Milner goes

[markavfc40]

One player who up until this point has never caused any trouble or shown any signs of causing trouble.

One manager who has a track record of falling out with players and just ignoring them, making it seem not his fault.

Whose this manager with a track record of falling out with players and just ignoring them?

If you are referring to Martin O'Neill I'd hazard of guess in the 20+ years of being a manager he has managed over 300 players and I can't think of too many reports of him falling out with players, certainly not enough to give him a track record

You know what though I dare say like 99.9% of other managers he has fallen out with players, usually ones who aren't happy about being in the side or that are throwing there toys out of the pram because they can't get what they want. Shit happens in any workplace but Mr O'Neill certainly didn't come with and hasn't develop a reputation for falling out with players since being at the club. For every player you can quote with a bad word to say about our manager you'll find 50 with something positive to say.

[Pelle]

Especially as they want to get rid of Ireland whilst we always wanted to keep Milner. Affects the price.

[villa89]

I can't think of too many reports of him falling out with players, certainly not enough to give him a track record

Hasn't he fallen out with Shorey, Carew, NRC, L.Young and now Milner?

The actions of MON seem to suggest to me that we are just going to accept whatever city's next bid is and Milner will be gone. I don't think MON has strengthened our posistion with his comments.

[DANVANDAL]

Can I just say it now, how long until we're linked with Jenas again...

[AshVilla]

someone will need to get the colouring pens out again, same scenario this time but with milner instead? fans wont be pleased with this turncoat i can imagine their displeasure being magnified twofold considering he's jumped ship so quickly.