City have tabled a £30million offer after Aston Villa
rejected their initial £25m bid. But now Chelsea have joined the
race and Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti believes the lure of Champions
League football will prove a trump card.
Both City and Villa missed out on a top-four finish as
Tottenham clinched the final Champions League spot ahead of them.
And Chelsea believe an opportunity for Milner to play at the
highest level in Europe will see them win the day.
Milner, 24, refused to commit his future to Villa when
tackled about the subject and is known to be fiercely ambitious
after breaking into the England side this term.
So the chance to team up with international colleagues
John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole could prove
irresistible.
Milner, who can also play at right-back, has two years
left on his £40,000-a-week contract and Villa boss Martin O'Neill
wants to open talks on a new deal after the World Cup.
But Chelsea will dwarf any new deal Villa could put on
the table as O'Neill battles to keep one of his key men.
Chelsea say they are ready to go the distance for
Milner after missing out to City on Brazilian striker Robinho two
summers ago.
A Chelsea insider said: "Losing out to City for Robinho
was embarrassing at the time, even if it did turn out to be a lucky
escape.
"But we are determined to get our man this time and we
are very confident it will happen."
Milner, speaking at England's training camp in Austria,
hinted he would be willing to move.
When asked if he would like to stay at Villa, Milner
replied pointedly: "I've enjoyed my time at Aston Villa, it's a
great club to be at. But all I am thinking about is England."
Villa owner Randy Lerner insists Villa will fight to
keep Milner. He said: "We're going to do everything we can to keep
him."
