The stock of Manchester City utility man James Milner seems to have risen sharply over the last 9 months – to the extent that there is now a real sense that the club are desperate to hold on to him.
Perhaps aware of the quality that fellow English all-rounder Gareth Barry has shown since his departure from the club, Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini has implied to journalists that his board are doing their best to sign the 53 cap England international up to a new contract.
“Maybe City have already offered all that the club can offer, maybe it’s not about more money, maybe there are different things to sign a new contract.
“I repeat, you must ask James what is happening with him.
“I hope he will find an arrangement, but you cannot talk about City only.
“To decide to sign a contract you need both parties to agree it.
Until this season we thought of Milner as a workhorse – a player who allows others the centre stage with his tireless work in the engine room. But he has proved to be more than that this season by showing consistent quality on the ball. With rumours regularly suggesting that he is wanted by other big clubs Manchester City are now is a precarious position with the Englishman.
This one probably isn’t about money – Milner is already a rich man and is much more likely to be haggling over length of contract and assurances about gametime. In reality he is perhaps more likely to get additional minutes at most of the other clubs that want him. So the future of the on song England international is far form settled.
City fans: Worth going the extra mile to keep him?
