I am assuming that the Arsenal transfer rumours were right and that Arsene Wenger was trying to complete the transfer of the England international James Milner from Man City, because if not then the title of this post makes no sense.
But just yesterday we were hearing that the Gunners were one of the clubs trying to get the talented and versatile 29-year old who is out of contract and so available for nothing but wages this summer. Milner has apparently decided not to join his international team mates Walcott, Welbeck, Wilshere, Chamberlain, Gibbs and Chamberlain.
The Independent have reported that as well as turning down a massive wage hike to stay with his current club, the workaholic winger has turned down the chance to play Champions League football and chosen to play for Liverpool instead.
The noise coming from the Milner camp recently has been all about where and how often he plays and this would seem to be borne out by his move to Anfield, where the squad is not as strong and where competition for places is not as fierce. And with Gerrard heading for the MLS in America, perhaps Brendan Rodgers has offered Milner the chance to play in his favoured central role.
To be honest, although I think he would have made a very handy addition for the Gunners, I have to respect Milner for going with his principles and giving himself the best chance to play regularly for club and country. I just hope we do not regret missing out on him.
However, with Coquelin, Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta, Cazorla and all fighting for the central midfield roles, would Milner have played any more for us than he did for City? Or even as much?
From what I read Arsenal pulled out due to his wage demands of £150k per week, £10k a week more than Alexis and Ozil…
Personally I would like to believe that we (Arsenal) pulled out as he is not worth that type of wages.
Milner is not a CM or cdm for city he only played on the wing
or at least i never saw him in the middle
and i dont think he’s that good
we need a real cdm to help back up coqelin
not milner.
Thank God he went to Liverpool. Say what you want but Milner is not the quality we need. He ran away from City because he knew he is squad player. We don’t need squad players this summer. we need key players.
On more important news Arsenal have not made a bid for Kondobia nor have they contacted Monaco or the players agent. I just watch his agent on Canal plus which is french tv and he says Mancity is the only english club to have made and enquiry.
The player appeals to a lot of clubs around Europe,” he told FC Internews.
“In addition to interest from Inter, there’s also Juventus, Manchester City and Real Madrid. I can’t reveal how far along the various talks are.
“Will he leave this summer? Everything is possible in football.”
So we should stop believing the papers. I think Schiniderlin is Wengers target.
Dont like the sound of that one bit. City with all their strength in the centre of pitch bid for Kondogbia who oozes strength athleticism and then theres us who might not want to block one players path, one player who performed in a half season.
I hope this news isnt telling on the type of player we might bring in or indeed if any and instead go with Arteta, i like Arteta and think he is a very capable player but he has his limits. Against bigger sides Arteta can be found wanting.
Im of the opinion that you need players like Milner in your squad. These players do allot for a championship winning side, one thing they do is they make you harder to beat with their Sanchez like attitude when it comes to winning the ball back, another is you dont feel the loss of the man he comes in for as much as you would usually.
Lets not forget also Milner can play a bit, hes a tricky customer with allot to offer. Yes hes not good enough for the Arsenal first team and it is the first team that we want improved. He is better than a few of our squad options and i for one wouldnt mind seeing him come on for a Sant Cazorla or a M Ozil when we have a precious lead in a vital encounter, not only because of his workman like attitude but because he can offer something in attack at the same time.
Liv are getting themselves a solid makeshift player who will in my opinion strengthen them, hell strengthen them more so than he would us but lets not forget that sometimes you are only as good as your weakest player.
The thing with spanish players…….. They are easily homesick…….. Pedro signed a new barca deaL tho…… AMEN!
just how did DybaLa finally end up at Mancity?……… *wondering*
thought he was signed up by Juventus…… This is just one big bLunder by the BBC…….. Check out their website under player transfer column
Well that is Dybala, Pedro and Milner we can chalk off and we don’t need to see their names in the wish-lists churned out on here again.
Players the bookies have us favs or joint favs (although some still longish odds) are:
Vidal, Reus (fav but long odds at 10-1 ie: he is not moving), Bacca, Kondogbia, Cabaye and Jackson Martinez (the only odds-on bet available). I would say there is something for everyone there.
Fan-faves where we are not leading the way and are second favourites, so we can still debate it but be prepared for disappointment:
Schneiderlin, Cech, Lacazette (probably the most popular wish-list trio atm).
If the bookies are to be believed we should conserve energy, clear our minds and stop banging on about, or merely fantasising about, the following:
Hummels, Cavani, Sterling, Varane, Pogba, Isco, Higuain, Gundogdan, Benzema, Lloris, Greizmann, Ronaldo, Bale and Messi(!?).
BYEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee MiLner……… Who wanted u at the Emirates anyway? Mtchewww
Does anyone on here feel “snubbed”? I sure as hell don’t. Milner looks every inch a Liverpool player. He will be a regular starter and that is what he wants – fair play to him. He would have been a decent squad option for us – but a regular starter? No chance.
Didn’t needed him anyway! Kondogbia all the way! Coyg!
sorry pal. City is the only english club to have contacted Monaco. The players agent confirmed today. That is why i hate reading all this stupid English journals. cause you start blaming Wenger when he is may be not interested in the player. from now on i am into only Arsenal.com. The Metro has linked us to like every fxxxxxx footballer there is. Its crazy.
Kondobia’s agent said this today.
The player appeals to a lot of clubs around Europe,” he told FC Internews.
“In addition to interest from Inter, there’s also Juventus, Manchester City and Real Madrid. , but I can’t reveal how far along the various talks are.
“Will he leave this summer? Everything is possible in football.”
Other fans look forward for the transfer season but TBH me I dread this period. As usual the better players get snapped up by our competitors so quickly and we are left listening to all the boring and monotonous excuses again and again. To win the EPL we need to sign at least a minimum of 3 good players. The whole f**g world know that. Period.
You need to get out more if you think other clubs’ fans look forward to the transfer season and have easy rides. Show a bit of backbone – Milner gets “snapped up” and you are panicking, and on June 5th to boot, 26 days before window open and deals signed up.
I heard that Arsenal looked but didn’t want to pay his wage demands for a player who might not feature.
Fair enough. He’s not really what we need. One thing we can learn from this though is that City will probably be going for sterling… I know it sounds like a bit of a leap, but they now desperately need home grown players, and, apparently, a replacement for David Silva. I don’t quite know why they are looking for a replacement for him but it sounds like they only want to keep him for the next 2 years. It’s a very specific rumour but seems to be backed up.
I would like all players
to be paid on a pay
for play basis.
Why should some one be paid
70k a week and not even make the bench?
When the team wins those
who play receive full pay.
A draw 50% and a loss no pay.
Play and win should be the rule.
Those who don’t play including the injured
should get a retainer of 10k per week.
The club could save 100 mill in salary
per season and get better results.
The rule should apply to all clubs.
Noone would sign for this except veteran players from ex communist Russia!
Lets not forget that without the actual players there would be no clubs and there would be no Billions. Sky probably would have never took off as everyone who gets it does it for the football. The players deserve the money more so than Fifa Uefa Bookmakers and allot more money men im sure.
“Sky probably would have never took off as everyone who gets it does it for the football.”
Lol yeah right, i wish… my childhood would of been a lot nicer if my dad enjoyed football and put that onto any media package he got.
Then it was my step-dad, another guy who doesn’t watch football and would complain bitterly if it was on normal tv.
I’m super lucky to have a mum who is also an Arsenal fan now… but when I was a kid she hated football aswell gahh.
1st thing I done when moving out all those years ago was get skysports and overdosed on sports for a whole weekend lol.
Oh it felt sooo good to watch sports constantly for hours upon hours, it has defenatly helped shape me into a sport freak I am now ^.^
Also I think sky really upped my hatrd of adverts, we pay for sky and then have to watch adverts that sky make money from ontop as well, what a nice money spinner.
This is very late reply but everyone who can remember Sky in beginning remembers how important the football package deal was. And when i said everyone got it for football i didnt mean literally but almost i would guess.
David… You act as though it’s your money!! It’s like you have this constant gripe against elite sportsman earning too much money.
Maybe support a team in a lower league without billion dollar stadiums, multi-million dollar sponsorships, a world-wide fan-base and one of the largest TV deals in sports. It’s called commercialism not communism. Welcome to the party
No need for this guy. He would have put a dent into my war chest with those wage demands.
He is a talented and useful player but not worth those wage demands
I highly doubt hes asking for 150m as he knows the money in city che gets thrown about. I reckon hell get about 100 to 110.
Milner is a very good player, he’ll immediately improve Liverpool but his wages were too high thanks to City’s wasteful salary policy.
I agree completely. He is a quality player. Liverpool will definitely improve with him. He is a good temporary replacement for Gerrard but City’s wage offer of £160,000 per week and his wage demands to Arsenal (If true) of £150k per week is ridiculous. I think it’s £10,000 more then Ozil and Alexis
He can even cover for Sterling for a season or two while they sort a replacement. Fortunately they problems lay much deeper and we will strengthen to compete for the league.
I want Isco on the right flank!
150k? Sterling will have a fit!
He was sick of winning trophies. He didn’t want to win anymore and hence snubbed the imminent dominance of Arsenal for mediocrity of LFC.
He knew he would not get in the first 11 – shame though as he would have brought depth. On the plus side City now HAVE to buy homegrown players and they don’t come cheap!
Because he wanted to be our highest earner. If you come to Arsenal and say ‘I want more money per week than Ozil and Sanchez’ you need to be a lot better a player than Milner.
Perfect for Liverpool, but our midfield is a class above theirs..