Aston Villa are warning Manchester City that it will cost £30m
before James Milner is allowed to leave.
The midfielder’s future at Villa Park now looks increasingly
uncertain after the club’s failed on Tuesday to yield any firm
commitment from the player.
O’Neill along with club owner Randy Lerner and chief executive
Paul Faulkner discussed their vision for Villa in an hour-long
meeting at the club’s Bodymoor Heath training complex.
On the move: Milner is preparing for the World Cup
with England but his club future is looking increasingly uncertain
with Manchester City keen
Despite the combined efforts of both the club’s manager and its’
billionaire owner, Milner did not feel sufficiently moved to commit
himself, however.
Villa had promised to prepare a new deal for the England
international that would have made him the highest-paid player in
the club’s history.
On the lookout: Man City boss Roberto Mancini is
scouring potential new signings
But Milner will not be allowed to go on the cheap and Villa will
not entertain any offer that values their prize asset at anything
less than £30m, after already having rejected one bid of £20m from
the richest club in the Barclays Premier League.
Both sides remained silent on the issue last night but the fact
that the joint involvement of Lerner and O’Neill failed to elicit a
positive response is seen as a major negative by sources close to
the Birmingham club.
The outcome of that meeting will be of huge interest to Roberto
Mancini and those behind-the-scenes at Eastlands who see Milner’s
honesty and industry as being of vital components in next season’s
Champions League push.
While O’Neill will be undoubtedly disappointed if he loses a
player who has been a fulcrum of his side’s success for a second
season, he will at least be armed with sufficient funds to be able
to make his own splash during the summer sales
