Manchester City have reportedly had a £20 million bid for James Milner rejected by Aston Villa.
After Barcelona got the transfer season off to a bang yesterday, with the signing of David Villa. City clearly want to flex their own, considerable financial muscle before the planets top players go to the World Cup with their national teams, and Milner is their first target.
The 24 year old hit a rich vein of form this season as Martin O'Neill moved him from the wing into a central role. From there he provided seven goals and 12 assists in the league, propelling the midlands side to sixth place and scooping the young player of the year award for himself.
The former Newcastle man had been linked with a move to City's arch rivals Manchester United in recent months. And it would be no surprise if they were to blow the Red Devils out of the water with an inflated transfer fee.
But Villa chairman Randy Lerner was expecting City to come looking for his star man but was confident early this week that Milner would play in claret and blue next season.
"I'm not worried about losing James Milner. I think James will play for Aston Villa and should play for Aston Villa,"
But as he looks set to play a starring role for England in South Africa, the temptation of big bucks at Eastlands is likely to make the playmaker consider following his former teammate, Gareth Barry, up the M6.
But Villa fans will take hope from Lerner's defiant stance on the midfielder's transfer status: "The answer is "No", I don't worry about him leaving because he is wanted at this club."
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