James Milner closer to Manchester City exit after contract impasse
Manchester City are running out of time to tie James Milner down to a new deal, with the two parties still a long way off reaching an agreement and the England international currently weighing up three proposals from clubs in Spain and Italy including a particularly attractive pre-contract offer that he would be free to sign this month.
While there is no guarantee that Milner will accept any of the opportunities in front of him at the moment – any pre-contract agreement with an overseas club would need to be signed before the end of the January window – the chances of the midfielder remaining at City are receding by the week. Arsenal and Liverpool remain the most likely destinations if Milner chooses to remain in the Premier League after his contract expires in the summer.
City have not yet given up hope of keeping Milner, who joined them from Aston Villa in a £26m deal during 2010. Club officials met with his representatives last week and they are not a million miles apart when it comes to an agreement on the figures put forward in a proposed contract.
For Milner, however, the financial package is not going to determine where and when he signs his next deal. If the former Leeds trainee leaves on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling at the end of the season, he will be well remunerated wherever he pitches up. The burning issue, in his eyes, is what happens on the pitch over the next few years. He turned 29 this month and wants to be playing every week.
Milner gets on well with Manuel Pellegrini, City’s manager, but there is no escaping the fact that he is frustrated with the amount of playing time that he has had under the Chilean and Roberto Mancini before that. Although Milner has featured more regularly this season – he has started 11 Premier League games compared to 12 in the whole of the previous campaign – he is aware that injuries to key players, including Samir Nasri, Yaya Touré and David Silva, have helped his cause at times. When everyone is fit, Milner knows he is not a mandatory pick and is more likely to find himself on the bench.
Being substituted at half-time on Sunday, in the 2-0 home defeat against Arsenal, was a big disappointment and will have done nothing to allay concerns about how he is viewed at City, especially as Nasri was injured for that match and Touré away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Pellegrini has spoken warmly about Milner’s attributes on plenty of occasions and often expressed his wish to hold onto the player. Yet there was bemusement among Milner’s camp when the City manager intimated earlier this month that an agreement between the club and player was imminent. “I hope that James will stay here and he will sign his contract in the next few days,” Pellegrini said following the 1-1 draw at Everton.
Despite regular and amicable talks with City, the bottom line is that Milner has never been close to signing . Furthermore, while it is likely that the two sides will get together again soon, there are no further discussions scheduled to take place. Perhaps most significantly, it is hard to see how City can satisfy Milner’s desire to be starting more matches.
While the prospect of playing abroad is appealing, and the formal offer that has been tabled in the past fortnight from a top European club has provided serious food for thought, Milner has more to take into consideration since becoming a father last year and it may well be that he arrives at the decision that the timing is not right to venture overseas.
All of which will encourage Arsenal and Liverpool – Chelsea tried to sign Milner when he joined City from Villa but are not believed to be interested this time round – that there is a golden opportunity to pick up an England international, still under 30, on a free transfer in less than six months’ time
OR
Tottenham and Arsenal given green light in freebie move for Manchester City star
James Milner is set to leave Manchester City for free in the summer after his contract talks stalled at the Etihad, according to the Guardian.
The England international has been a regular for Manuel Pellegrini in recent weeks and even played as a striker when City were without the likes of Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero.
With his contract running out at the end of the season, Milner has already received offers from Spain and Italy, with foreign clubs able to offer a pre-contract agreement.
However, Milner is holding out for City to offer him the deal he believes he deserves, and if they don’t, another Premier League club surely will.
The 29-year-old has been a long term target of Tottenham and Everton, however the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal are both now keen and the versatile midfielder is set to be a man in demand.
Pellegrini has used Milner in a number of positions this season, especially in big games, but the club are yet to agree a deal with the former Leeds United youngster.
January bids could even be made for Milner, with City preferring to receive a fee, but the battle to sign the midfielder on a free in the summer could be intense.
Aguero: Messi friendship on hold for Barcelona game!
Manchester City's star striker says his close friendship with Barcelona's Lionel Messi will be put on hold until after their Champions League tie.
Sergio Aguero is aiming to blast his way into the global elite when City face Chelsea and Barcelona in the next month.
And Kun says his close friendship with Lionel Messi will go on hold until their Champions League tussle is over.
The Blues striker is hoping to recapture the form he was in before his knee injury, when he showed signs of challenging Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the claim to be the best player on the planet.
He sees the title showdown with Chelsea a week on Saturday, which will have a global audience, and next month’s clash with Barca as great chances to show what he can do.
Aguero is in Abu Dhabi with the rest of the City squad for a spot of warm weather training ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough.
But following that is the Chelsea game, and Barcelona come to town on February 24.
Said Aguero, when asked about Barca: “It will be an important game for me because I will be playing against my great friend Messi. But the second we step on the field, that friendliness disappears.
“The club has invested a lot of money to reach as high as possible in the Champions League, although we know this will be a very tough game.”
Aguero added that Sunday’s home defeat by Arsenal, which ended a 14-match unbeaten run, has not put a dent in morale.
“The team is enjoying a high level of confidence,” he said. “Yes, the result at the weekend was not the best, but we think we have a great opportunity with the game coming up with Chelsea to turn things around.”
Pellegrini aims to beat Real Madrid and Man Utd to Reus
Borussia forward Reus would improve most European sides
Manchester City believe they can win the race to sign to Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus.
According the Daily Star , the Premier League champions are confident they can beat Real Madrid and Manchester United to the signature of the highly-rated German international.
According to the report, City are willing to pay the £20m buyout clause in Reus' contract and offer wages of around £200,000-a-week for a player who has also been linked with Chelsea and Arsenal.
The Daily Express reckon Micah Richards could soon be on his way back to the Premier League.
The City defender is on loan at Fiorentina, but has endured a frustrating time in Italy.
He will be a free agent in the summer.
Meanwhile Stevan Jovetic has ruled out leaving City - despite speculation about his future.
"I never wanted to go because I have a lot more to show and a lot more goals to score," he told Sky Sports.
What do these doodles say about Manchester City trio?
Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Willy Caballero sketched pictures during a press conference in Abu Dhabi - but what do you think their doodles say about the players?
Manchester City players can be a little guarded when they speak to the media... perhaps these doodles are more revealing!
During a press conference in Abu Dhabi, star striker Sergio Aguero, midfielder Fernandinho and goalkeeper Willy Caballero put pen to paper with intriguing results.
Fiery forward Aguero, according to a tweet from local paper The National, drew a smoking devil-type creature.
Fernandinho's mind was clearly more focused on the job in hand, with a neatly sketched-out football pitch on his pad.
And Willy Caballero displayed characteristic handiwork with a smart cartoon of a man walking away from his car - whatever that means!
AUGUERO
FERNANDINHO
CABALLERO
Bacary Sagna confident Manchester City can catch Premier League leaders Chelsea despite shock defeat against Arsenal
Manchester City full back Bacary Sagna has warned Chelsea that the title race is not over yet.
Speaking on the club's mid-season trip to Abu Dhabi he pointed to last year, when Manuel Pellegrini's side came from seven points behind Liverpool to finish top, as proof that they can turn things around.
Sagna, signed on a free transfer from Arsenal in the summer, was on the bench on Sunday when his old club stunned the Etihad Stadium with a deserved 2-0 win.
That shock result left City five points behind a seemingly relentless Chelsea, with 16 matches to play.
But the 31-year-old, who has struggled to dislodge Pablo Zabaleta since his move north, believes it is not over.
'Unfortunately we lost against Arsenal but we have a long way to go,' Sagna told CityTV.
'We have to work hard even more. We managed to come back last year with seven points today we are five points behind.'
City take on Jose Mourinho's men at Stamford Bridge in a match Pellegrini now believes is 'very important'.
And Sagna agrees.
'We will play a vital game against them,' he said.
The club are in the Abu Dhabi homeland of their owner and will take on Hamburg in a friendly tonight before returning home to face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup this weekend.
'Everyone loves us here,' said Sagna. 'The chairman is from Abu Dhabi so we need to show some love to the people.'
City jetted out to the desert on Sunday hoping for some warm weather but did not find everything as they expected when they landed in a heavy downpour.
James Milner joked: 'We flew for seven hours and thought we had landed back in Manchester.'
Everton's boo boys could drive Barkley away from Goodison Park and straight to Manchester City
Everton’s recent 0-0 draw with West Brom at Goodison Park has consigned them and their fans that they are in fact involved in a relegation scrap, whether they are too good to go down or not. What it has also effectively done is put Manchester City on alert over the possible signing of young English starlet Ross Barkley. Throughout the home draw against West Brom Barkley was booed by home fans. In return Graham Beecroft has warned Everton fans against their actions in the chance that it might drive their most prized possession from Goodison earlier than expected.
Manchester City has been linked with Barkley since this past summer and for several reasons a move to the Etihad would prove very suitable. For starters, Barkley is English. As of right now the only English players on Manchester City’s books are Frank Lampard, Joe Hart, James Miner, Scott Sinclair and Richard Wright. Lampard is on loan until June. Milner is yet to sign a new deal, which expires this summer and Scott Sinclair has looked to be on his way out since his arrival. For both FFP and FA reasons the club will need more English players on their roster if the current situation remains the same. However, with Ross Barkley being one of England’s most prized talents he will come at a heavy price. This could hinder Manchester City’s ability to bring him in, Everton hope, based on the most recent FFP regulations.
In any event, it would be in the best interest of any Evertonian to refrain from placing the blame on players such as Barkley. Their side has underachieved. This is a fact. But, a central defense well up there in age and well below the standard of talent required to challenge for a top four position, should be the first concern. Barkley needs time to develop his game and I do not know if Manchester City is the best place for him to do so. So, I would urge fans to refrain from the abuse
Manchester City prepare for friendly clash against Hamburg as Frank Lampard and Co train in Abu Dhabi
The Manchester City players looked to be in high spirits as Manuel Pellegrini took his side for an open training session in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The Premier League champions flew to the Far East shortly after their shock 2-0 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday as they look to stay in shape with some warm-weather training.
The likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Frank Lampard were all involved as City prepare for a friendly match against Hamburg on Wednesday afternoon.
Unfortunately for Pellegrini's squad, the weather in Abu Dhabi hasn't been too dissimilar to the colder climes of England.
Speaking of his team's mid-season trip, City forward Stevan Jovetic told Sky Sports: 'It’s nice (to get away) but the weather is the same unfortunately. We were unlucky as today it was raining but it’s nice because all the team is here. A couple of days away from England, it’s nice.
'We have to prepare good because we have the FA Cup. We need to play well to get through and after that we have a big game against Chelsea - a very important game.'
Aleksandar Kolarov, Joe Hart and Milner answered questions from children during the open training session
The Premier League have announced two changes to upcoming City fixtures.
The champions' visit to Turf Moor on Saturday 14 March to face Burnley will now kick-off at 5:30pm GMT rather than 3pm GMT.
Our home game against West Brom will now kick-off at 12:45pm GMT on Saturday 21 March.
The clash at Burnley will be shown live on Sky, while the West Brom encounter will be broadcast on BT Sport.
Manchester United have been quoted a world-record £112m for 20-year-old Paris St-Germain and Brazil centre-back Marquinhos, the man they have identified as their top defensive target, who cost £26m from Roma in 2013. (Sun - subscription required)
United are not the team who made a £26m bid for Valencia's Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi and are more likely to move for Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels, also 26, in the summer. (Manchester Evening News)
Tottenham hope to persuade Everton to sell them Belgium winger Kevin Mirallas - who missed a penalty against West Brom on Monday - and are willing to offer Aaron Lennon, also 27, in part exchange. (Daily Mirror)
But the Toffees are thought to have rejected a swap deal involving England winger Lennon. (Sun)
Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel, 26, has alerted Manchester United by saying he is keen to play in the Premier League. (Bleacher Report)
Barcelona midfielder Xavi wants the Spanish giants to sign fellow Spaniard, Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla, 30. (Metro)
Chelsea want to sign Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado, 26, but may have to sell Germany forward Andre Schurrle, 24, and 22-year-old Egypt winger Mohamed Salah first. (Daily Mirror)
Tottenham want £5m from Swansea for their England Under-21s midfielder Tom Carroll, 22, who has been on loan at the Welsh club this term, having already agreed a deal for the same price for full-back Kyle Naughton, 26. (Independent)
Blackburn will not be pressured into selling top-scorer Rudy Gestede, 26, after they turned down an initial offer from Crystal Palace believed to be £3.5m. (Lancashire Telegraph)
However, Palace hope to complete three signings after expressing an interest in Bolton midfielder Lee Chung-yong and Hoffenheim striker Anthony Modeste, also 26, as well as stepping up their attempts to sign Gestede. (Times)
Norwich boss Alex Neil has hinted Swansea may have to wait until the end of the transfer window to discover if they can sign Martin Olsson, with the Canaries thought to want £5m for the 26-year-old Sweden international. (South Wales Evening Post)
Arsenal have opened talks with Villarreal about signing 24-year-old Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Paulista. (Telegraph)
Crystal Palace are interested in Sevilla's 28-year-old Cameroon midfielder Stephane Mbia, who is available on a free transfer. (DSSC)
Cristiano Ronaldo says he would like to play in Brazil when his Real Madrid career comes to an end, which is a blow to Manchester United's hopes of re-signing the 29-year-old Portugal forward. (Metro)
Former Tottenham and Newcastle player David Ginola, 47, is attempting to raise £2.3m to fund his Fifa president campaign but has managed to gather just £5,506 in the first week. (Guardian)
Former striker Michael Owen says Manchester United are "not functioning as a team" and believes 31-year-old Netherlands striker Robin van Persie is no longer living up to his reputation. (Telegraph)
Romelu Lukaku, 21, is not doing the business at Everton and the club need to buy another striker, says former Toffees goalkeeper Neville Southall. (Talkshit)
Arsenal target, 26-year-old defender Winston Reid, has denied on Twitter he wants to leave West Ham in the January transfer window.
For the second game in a row, illness prevented Mario Balotelli, 24, from being included in the Liverpool squad, so the Italy striker donned his onesie to watch Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg.
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, 24, looked to have decided against watching the game, however, as he provided an insight into his musical tastes by tweeting a photo from a Slipknot gig and the words: "Amazing concert."
It was a trip down memory lane for England winger Theo Walcott on Tuesday as he tweeted a picture of himself and Arsene Wenger holding an Arsenal shirt with the caption "9 years ago today..." Walcott joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old back in 2006 from Southampton.
Wenger, meanwhile, joined a host of sports stars and celebrities at a gala in Geneva. Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg posted a picture of Wenger, along with the caption: "Met some great people. like every year..."
A Liverpool fan in Norway has given his daughter the middle name YNWA - the acronym for the Reds' You'll Never Walk Alone motto. (Daily Mirror)
MORE BOLLOX SHORTLY
