It’s starting to look more and more like James Milner will leave the club in the summer, after The Guardian reported he had offers from clubs in Spain and Italy, as well as interest from some of England’s top clubs.
Talks have continued to stall between Milner and City, despite both parties repeatedly expressing their desire to sign a contract extension to keep the midfielder at The Etihad longer. These stalled talks have encouraged other clubs to start sniffing around the 29-year-old as he prepares to leave The Blues after five years in Manchester.
Three clubs in Spain and Italy have already tabled pre-contracts for the England international, which they are entitled to do given how close he is to the end of his contract. However, if Milner was to accept one of those pre-contracts it would have to be done by the end of the transfer window, or else he’d have to wait until the summer.
Arsenal and Liverpool are also thought to be interested, and have been linked with a move for him for a number of months now.
Still 29, the main concern for Milner is not monetary, but playing time. He’s struggled for game time under both Manuel Pellegrini and Roberto Mancini, and although he has played more this season, it could well not be enough to persuade him to stay at The Blues where he could go play football on the continent or at Anfield or The Emirates.
None of this will be pleasing news to the ears of City fans, but it is unfortunately looking like he will be leaving the Blues after five successful years next summer. Whether he does or doesn’t go remains to be seen, but if one thing is for sure it’s that he’ll be remembered as one of the good guys.
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UPDATE: The Daily Star are reporting that Roberto Mancini, now of Inter Milan, wants to sign Milner for the Italians, on a staggering £200,000 per week deal, that most other sides would struggle to match.
