How does a football club prepare a bid for a player they’re trying to sign? Surely it’s just a question of stating that you want to sign him and you’re prepared to offer his current club a certain amount to secure his services? Or does the bid need to be carefully worded before being faxed across? One pictures Martin O’Neill and Randy Lerner striding around an office dictating a letter to the latter’s secretary, before locating the number for St James’ Park.

Perhaps it’s a load of rubbish instead, it is the Daily Mail we’re talking about here, second only to The S*n in terms of generating stories of fabrication. At least they don’t patronise their readers by quoting a fictitious source, although they do claim that James Milner could be on his way to Villa Park for around £6 million.

Aston Villa are preparing a fresh £6million bid for Newcastle winger James Milner.

The England Under-21 international remains a part of Kevin Keegan’s plans for the season but the Newcastle manager may be prepared to cash in as Martin O’Neill continues his pursuit of a player who spent a year on loan at Villa Park.

Milner has already been linked with a move to Liverpool next season, and it now appears that Villa are at least interested in the player. However, there is no indication that the winger is unhappy on Tyneside and he was one of the Newcastle’s brighter performers last term. Is this transfer realistic or not?

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