Summer Transfers 2014

[Horus]

Milners energy and ability in midfield would be an upgrade on Allen, and an upgrade on Coutinho when he's having one of those games. If the fee was reasonable I'd go for him.

 

Because city are the selling club, we're far more likely to get him at the right price.

[Major Tom]

I'd rather cheese grate my balls than watch Wilfried fucking Bony in a Liverpool shirt.  Why are we even linked with a cart horse like him?

 

Who the fuck knows how these things work. Can;t see any interest in Bony being genuine, though.

[J-V]

Milners energy and ability in midfield would be an upgrade on Allen, and an upgrade on Coutinho when he's having one of those games. If the fee was reasonable I'd go for him.

 

Because city are the selling club, we're far more likely to get him at the right price.

 

He'll cost at least £10million probably more.  I'd rather not.

[Elite]

I would take Milner. Coukd definitely do a job for us.

[DanDanShaw]

Milner for the right price would be good, like somebody said City are a selling club so you can get players on the cheap but that's usually only the case if they want rid.  I can't imagine Pellegrini wanting shut of a player as versatile as Milner.

 

Plus, when you buy from a dirty money club like City - you need to take on that players ridiculously high wages.  Would anybody take Scott Sinclair, I still think there's a player there, but the fact he couldn't get a game for West Brom may suggest otherwise.

[Lee909]

I dont see City selling. They have hardly any home grown players as is to fill the quota and wont be spending loads as they need to sort FFP out

[Jairzinho]

He'd be our best right back.

[Horus]

He'll cost at least £10million probably more.  I'd rather not.

At £10m, I'd definitely see that as cracking business. An upgrade on Allen for £5m less than we paid for him. His ability to run all day, combined with his natural power would make him the perfect fit as a foil for Henderson.

[The Golden Eel]

Would anybody take Scott Sinclair, I still think there's a player there, but the fact he couldn't get a game for West Brom may suggest otherwise.

No, he's shit.  Even when he was good I thought he was shit.

[DanDanShaw]

I dont see City selling. They have hardly any home grown players as is to fill the quota and wont be spending loads as they need to sort FFP out

 

They'll just register loads of the kids, these shitty rules are so easy to get around.

 

No, he's shit.  Even when he was good I thought he was shit.

 

Yeah, he won't really take us to the next level and he's on £80,000 a week, so I wouldn't be taking those wages on.  I've always seen something in him - but that was at Championship level to be fair.

 

At £10m, I'd definitely see that as cracking business. An upgrade on Allen for £5m less than we paid for him. His ability to run all day, combined with his natural power would make him the perfect fit as a foil for Henderson.

 

I think (and I say this with a huge smile), City would be very reluctant to sell a player to a team that they see as a direct rival for the league title next season.  11 months ago Chelsea loaned us Moses, we can forget trying to sign players from City and Chelsea now.

[stringvest]

I wouldn't be starting him if everyone was fit.

 

Henderson/Gerrard/Coutinho as the midfield. Sturridge/Suarez/Sterling the front three.

I think he would only play in Coutinhos place, or occasionally for Sterling. He's probably more consistent (and perhaps better at this stage) than Coutinho.

[DanDanShaw]

I think he would only play in Coutinhos place, or occasionally for Sterling. He's probably more consistent (and perhaps better at this stage) than Coutinho.

 

As much as nobody wants to say it, I think this season should be the year we start to phase Stevie out of being an instant starter.  A midfield of Allen, Hendo and Coutinho would be much better (IMO)

[Jairzinho]

He's probably more consistent (and perhaps better at this stage) than Coutinho.

 

I certainly don't think he's better than Coutinho. No idea if he's more consistent. I'm guessing he started every single game for Southampton, which helps. As does the lack of pressure playing for Southampton, rather than us.

 

I don't think he's a bad player, Lallana, but if we have to spend £20m/£25m on him then I'm hoping our budget for the window is about £150m.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Have we been solidly linked to Milner or is this just a discussion on here?

[The Golden Eel]

Have we been solidly linked to Milner or is this just a discussion on here?

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/18/arsenal-james-milner-manchester-city

 

Think this is the extent of it

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/18/arsenal-james-milner-manchester-city

 

Think this is the extent of it

Ah ok. I think he has certain qualities he can bring to a squad. At the moment, though, I don't think he should be a priority at that level of wages/fee.

[DanDanShaw]

I think Milner is what Arsenal need, more than what we need.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I think Milner is what Arsenal need, more than what we need.

 

This.

 

I like Milner, I think his role in some key games for City this season has been underrated, but he's another gap filling player who works around those who actually orchestrate things. We need someone capable of dictating the pace of the game.

[thompsonsnose]

I think we needed a Milner type with 20 minutes to go in a fair few games last season.

A bit of control wouldn't go amiss.

He's never a wide player in a million years.

Just like Henderson wasn't.

 

If we got him for ten million, i wouldn't be disappointed.

If he is assessed as still having the legs to press in the middle, as Rodgers requires, then he's worth a look.

[Lee909]

They'll just register loads of the kids, these shitty rules are so easy to get around.

That ok in the league but they have a reduced squad in the champions league this year and still need to fill quota of players.

[Guest LFD]

I think Milner is what Arsenal need, more than what we need.

 

I think he's the last thing Arsenal need.

[kalasoma]

I think he's the last thing Arsenal need.

 

Why? They need someone in alongside Arteta - or most likely instead of - when he picks up his customary injury. I think he'd be ideal for Arsenal. It's a matter of whether they'll match his reported £90,000 weekly wage which would be prohibitive, but not impossible for Arsenal to cover.

[FanchesterCity]

Milner offers fight and a real work ethic, and although a lot of other fans don't rate him so much as a player, he's no slouch.

 

I'd honestly say that whilst some players will be a 9/10 some weeks and a 6/10 other times, he's a consistent 8/10 player and consistency is a fine thing.

 

I doubt City would want to lose Milner and I'm not sure at how true the rumours of his discontent are.

 

He plays pretty well out wide actually - so I'd have to disagree with the naysayers on that score. He's just one of those player (like Bellamy) who most other fans say 'he's nothing special', but when he's in your team, you appreciate him a lot more. He doesn't make the MOTD highlights, and so his work gets missed a lot.

 

I think of the English / homegrown contingent, Richards is far more likely to leave, which is a shame, but no huge loss either. Injury prone, and hardly surprising given his physique which is more like a serious body builder than a footballer. 

 

Regarding the home grown contingent for CL, there's a huge debate about that. It's not (yet) clear if 8 home grown are required or not. UEFA says in a 25 man squad, you need 17+8 but in a reduced squad, it get very vague... best case (for City) is 17+4, and worse case is 13+8, or it may be somewhere in between.  Both City and UEFA haven't made it clear as yet.

 

I think this will put a premium on quality English players - which may or may not be a bad thing, but longer term, it's just going to end up with the richer clubs buying up more and more youth.

 

Maybe the best way to fix that is to cap the numbers of any academy.

 

FFP seems to be like squeezing a balloon so far... you apply pressure on one place, and it creates a new issue elsewhere. It's going to take years to get it properly fine tuned to actually work well.

[Ronnie Whelan]

City have a load of top youngsters like lopes and Byrne coming through. They might be a few years away from city's level but wouldn't be a bit surprised if they get some game time year, like mclaughlin, ibe and rossiter with us in cups.

 

Milner would be a shrewd signing for 10 million. He's a very decent player and seems a very good pro.

[FanchesterCity]

Why? They need someone in alongside Arteta - or most likely instead of - when he picks up his customary injury. I think he'd be ideal for Arsenal. It's a matter of whether they'll match his reported £90,000 weekly wage which would be prohibitive, but not impossible for Arsenal to cover.

 

He'd probably do fine at Arsenal, but I can't see Arsenal fans wanting him. They're looking for big names now, not the likes of Milner. I know that shouldn't matter, but for a club like Arsenal, they'd perceive him as an underwhelming signing (unfairly). 

 

Milner IS getting games though. And winning stuff, and most likely on a very attractive salary. I just can't believe he's all this discontented. He's not a true benchwarmer who rarely gets a game at all.  There's plenty of other players at City getting far less game time.

That said, he might see the writing on the wall, and know he's never going to get significantly more game time than he does now. It's probably as good as it's going to get at City.