Could Liverpool be considering a £7m move for this highly-rated Premier League STAR?
by Mr Comfort on August 28th, 2008
| 302 words |
This long time Benitez target just announced to his Newcastle United boss that he wants out, so could Liverpool sneak in and sign him up? And, more importantly, should they?
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“Newcastle United can confirm that it has received a written transfer request from James Milner,” read a club statement. “The club is very disappointed that James sees his footballing future as being away from St James’ Park. He is a valued member of the squad and it is only a year ago that he signed an improved long-term contract.
“We have yet to receive an offer for James that has matched our valuation of him. However, should such an offer be received then the club would be reluctantly forced to consider it, given James’ apparent desire to leave.”
They may not have to wait long. Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill was on hand at the Ricoh Arena last night to watch Newcastle’s Carling Cup clash with Coventry, and his long-standing interest in Milner, who has also been linked with Liverpool, will have been encouraged by a commanding display from the winger. (Guardian)
With Liverpool set to snare Albert Riera, maybe it would make more sense for Benitez to hold off on the purchase of the Spaniard and move his attention to the former Leeds man. Milner is a quality player who is yet to really fulfill his potential and, at a team of the stature of the Merseyside outfit, he could well thrive. He is generally thought to be available for a fee in the £7m bracket, which would make him a bona fide bargain! What do Liverpool fans think, should their Spanish manager consider making a move to beat Aston Villa to the 22-year-old?
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Tagged Under: liverpool fc, newcastle united, Premier League, Transfer Rumours
Bryan - August 28th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Forget Riera, Milner would be far better value in my opinion
Lee Delaney - August 28th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Should get both. Rafa said we had enough to sign Barry for £18m, the owners just didn’t want him. A winger on either side would add so many options to a side who have really lacked width in the last few games, and would only cost about £15m. In Rafa We Trust
red-scouse - August 28th, 2008 at 8:30 am
him or SWP would help give us the width we so badly need - Riera i`m not sure about(?)
mitch - August 28th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Milner is a player i quite like, he has a lot of power for a winger, him and Reira are about the same but Milner is a lot younger and cheaper. he also has a good cross and plays with a lot of passion. also he’s used to the prem. Milner is the better option
roders - August 28th, 2008 at 8:43 am
i think we should get both of then and then cash in on the sale of pennant(usually shit), veronin(definately shit) and bennyonion (mostly shit).
stevengerrard888 - August 28th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I think when Reira was on loan at Man City 2-3 years ago he was dump. And I still think he is.
Milner is OK but still not great.
In my opinion we should buy Lennon and Downing.
Top quality english wingers down both flank.
Mitch - August 28th, 2008 at 8:50 am
SWP would be a good signing but i doubt they’d do business with us
Josh - August 28th, 2008 at 9:12 am
get both of em, if we had enough 4 barry we can easily sign these 2.
plus 15m 4 2 wingers is better then 18m for one mid.
just get rid of voronin and pennant.
keep sami we need someone like him at the back, tall and can score goals from corners.
davidelnino7 - August 28th, 2008 at 9:17 am
decent player and great potential. but we need trophies NOW to save rafa, and i still believe it should have been downing, but understandable southgate wouldnt let him leave. last nites performance underlined HOW MUCH WE NEED WIDTH. im praying albert riera can produce the goods down the left flank. and put babel on the right wing, pace on both wings. keep kyptt as a super-sub when we need him as an extra striker. walk on with hope in your heart.
zoe - August 28th, 2008 at 9:22 am
most certainly, he measures up Kuyt in terms of work rate and passion, he would be worth twice as much next season…I would even pick him ahead of Quaresma.
skinterthanyouthink - August 28th, 2008 at 9:38 am
he’s going to villa where he’ll get a regular game. forget it….
Weng Leon - August 28th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Milner IS good, but Aston Villa would most probably get him. Get Riera while Espanyol wants to sell him to Liverpool. Keep Pennant, he’s fast, and his passes and accurate. Get rid of Voronin.
AZ - August 28th, 2008 at 10:36 am
With the impending departures of Pennant, Finnan and Voronin there’s plenty of money for Milner as well. At least that gives us options on both flanks and allows us to have Babel in a central role.
RITCHIE - August 28th, 2008 at 11:02 am
BOTH END OF! l
ike people have said we have the money and are now are to the group stages of the champions league so we have more money.
...5 Times - August 28th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Going by recent performances liverpool need a left winger and a right winger. Kuyt may try hard but he is not a winger! He played a shocker last night, only to bail himself (and the team) out in the last 3 mins of ET. Babel should play down the right, i do not see why he is played down the left as at his prevous club he was played up front. he is right footed! him cutting in from the left is VERY predictable! Riera will probably be a flop but give him a chance. Milner, SWP ,Lennon. Someone with pace who can beat there man. Pennant is average!
Remzi - August 28th, 2008 at 11:36 am
i dont know about riera and millner,but i suposse downing is better then both :))
UWOT - August 28th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Lee Delaney has got a point. Sign Both Milner and Riera as we need a right and left winger (I’d prefer Downing over Riera) and Milner is 2 footed. I’d tempt the milner deal by throwing Pennant into the frame as no one wants him and he is only going to loose value sitting on then bench. Nabil El Zhar is ahead of Pennant.
Aman Ramdeyal(Liverpool Fan) - August 28th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Good day all.
Whoever we buy we must trust in our manager Rafa. He knows who he wants and he knows how much he has to spend. I watched the game last night and we need wingers. Everyone keeps on talking about how bad we played, but we did win. I remember last season when we lost to Man United at Anfield we played them off the park but still lost. At the end of the day it is the result that matters. Can’t wait for us to start playing the way I know we can. Things are only going to get better. YNWA
Keane16 - August 28th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I think you need as many players as possible after that shocking display last night. How do you manage to play some of the most boring football I have ever seen and yet still scrape a win??? Liverpool really are a joke. I cant see them challenging under Benetiz, the longer he stays there the better as far as I’m concerned!
Aman Ramdeyal(Liverpool Fan) - August 28th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Keane16 - All I can say to you is 5 TIME EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS. We will be challenging this season, you can bet your life on it. Everyone always brings us down. The fact of the matter is when Arsenal first won the Premiership title they were regarded as a boring team. A boring team that won the title. No matter how you play, the end result is what counts. YNWA
Steveo - August 28th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
What a bargain Robbie Keane was eh???
Thanks for the £20m that we’ll spend on someone that hasn’t had his best days!!!
davidelnino7 - August 28th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
LOL steveo, u will eat ur words trust me my friend…robbie keane will come good, he’s just settling in.
Steveo - August 28th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
davidelnino7, I’m not so sure my friend - I’m afraid you have paid far too much money for someone who has lost what pace he did have. He’ll score a few goals for you but nothing near what you should get from a £20m striker (like us with Bent really, only we’ll get most of what we paid for Bent back due to his age)
nosbig - August 28th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Milner deserves a bigger stage than Villa or Newcastle, should be playing for one of the big clubs.
Regular for England is only a matter of time if he moves on.
davidelnino7 - August 28th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
fair point steveo, but every player these days seems overpriced. i still think at 28 keano is at his peak, he was NEVER the quickest, so that doesnt concern me, once he starts geling with torres, the goals will fly in. he wont get as many as elnino for sure, but will offer sumfin different up front, or just off the striker.
Alonso Fan - August 28th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Not convinced either is good enough. We need wide players that can score and not just guys that cross a ball. Torres prefers balls to feet. Robbie did well with a tall target man at Spurs who flicked the headers on. Neither Torres or Keanes strenght is in the air, therfore the quality of the wide players must be that they can get by their man (or two) and delivery quality ball into the box (not necessarily in the air) and be able to score 15 goals per year. I am sure Miliner cannot do this and am not familiar with Riera to know if he can do this. In fact there are few PM wingers good enough for what is required but Dowling is young , big enough , fast and has potential.
Possible we only need one true quality winger with three more solid working midfilders with them, same as the days or John Barnes.
Pumping high balls in is not the solution, if it were we should have kept Crouch (though not the best header of a ball) or bought a center forward who would attack the ball in the air.
Concerned about Robbie , being ROI person, I can tell you now he is no Daglish, far from it. SG can do that role better from what we have seen so far (though we do have to give him more time).
As for the full backs, all forums peope were saying now that we have two attacking full backs. My view is that we never heard of these guys and they could not make Euro 2008 in poor teams and one is free - therefore I have low or no expecations. Also how does Aberolo start ahead of Finnan. He was desperate last night until late in the game. I feel we have regressed in this area.
More Rafa window dressing quoting attacking full bacls, freebies, etc. He had one of the best in JAR but failed to get the best our of him. Has been trying to replace Finnan (one of the most consistent RB in the PL) since he arrived and now has sent him to the dog house.
Conrerned fan who has been watching many of the great LFC teams since the 70’s.
elninoT9 - August 28th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
y not buy milner and reira? with gerard sidelined for a while we need attacking midfielders who can change a game, from wat iv seen of milner he seems capable of picking the right passes an finding good positions, not to sure about reira but im sure rafa wudnt chase him for so long if he wasnt good enough.
davidelnino7 - August 28th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
in stevie’s absence for 2 games i think mascherano and alonzo can do the job in the centre of the park, its the wide areas as always that need improvement. riera and another new signing for the other wing, or use babel in right wing. the spine of the team is good enough win on form…..i.e. reine,carragher,centre midfield, and torres up front with keane just behind.
wardy79 - August 28th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
it seems to me that rafa is not seeing a problem that has been looking him right in the face over the last few seasons but sticks out like a sore thumb over the last couple of games more than any……….we need wingers and we need them now.benayoun and kuyt on the flanks is a joke neither of them are natural wide men and against a team that are not considered a top side like leige we struggled to get crosses into the box until 118 mins of football at home on our own turf and the 1 good cross led to a goal.we hardly even had shots at goal.i love lfc but the truth be told over 2 ties we deserved to lose.get the wings sorted rafa before transfer deadline or these kind of preformances will only continue. LFC 4 EVER
Kopite (= - August 28th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Umm.. I like Milner.. Quality winger.. Got power and can cross decent.. But Riera i dont think so.. Its just funny we could get him and Everton cant (= I think a better option then these two is Quaresma? Everyone knows about Quaresma and how good he really is.. And being a natural winger it would make a better option then someone like Kuyt or Benayoun out there? Don you agree? (=
Ticky - August 28th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Watched a bit of Riera on Youtube. Seems full of tricks and can beat a man, but his final ball leaves a lot to the imagination…..a bit like Pennant really! I like Milner though, and I think his would progress a lot in the Liverpool team. Pity we didn’t get Sean Wright-Phillips. He didn’t play enough at Chelski, but given a regular start at City, I’m sure he’ll soon be showing the form which prompted Chelsea to pay more than £20m for him a few years ago.
Richard Hudgens - August 29th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I would like to see both Riera and Milner at Anfield. Would Rafa have tried for Riera again, if Milner’s transfer request had been made known? Rafa did consider Milner earlier in the summer. I like Milner’s quickness, skill, and toughness. He is an English player who could be a gem. I think he’d wear the jersey with pride. Furthermore, with Gerrard out for who knows how long, Milner could be the attacking midfielder, as well. Riera may do better in a different system and with more quality around him. I just wish Degen would get healthy, so we can see if he’ll be a difference maker. Should Arbeloa be sold? Rafinha might be a better attacking option. We have to have other goal producers, and Torres and Keane won’t produce if there is no service.
kermit - August 29th, 2008 at 1:17 am
in a 4 4 2 formation he would be better than kuyt on the right handside
i d regard it as a positive move
not mindblowing not enough to get me excited but positive none the less
kermit - August 29th, 2008 at 1:19 am
and i d still go for schweinsteiger
for the right side
Y.N.W.A. - August 29th, 2008 at 1:20 am
We don’t have space for both Riera AND Milner, as some are suggesting - I’d like to see Babel/El Zahr/N’Gog down one flank, and a new signing on the other. I’d rather see Downing come than either of this pair, too. I think he is worth the extra money. If Milner’s worth 10mil, Riera 8m and Downing 12m, surely we can flog Pennant and make up the difference. Downing’s proven Premiership material, and I think he’d do well for us. Milner I’m not so sure, and Riera looks to be a panic buy…
Jonny-Red - August 29th, 2008 at 10:05 am
We don’t need Riera, he was crap for CIteh want has changed this?
We should sign Stuart Downing & probably James Milner. I would like to see Joe Cole or SWP, but this ain’t gonna happen.
I would sell Pennat as he just isn’t good enough.
I think we paid too much for Robbie Keane.
Y.N.W.A.
alonso fan 4 life - August 29th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
i think considering d time frame we cld manage riera,but i domt think he is d best option 4 a team trying 2 win d priemiership.milner is also just ok,alot of promise but no delivery wld likepennant 2 be given another chance. i strongly believe he still has it,just needs 2 b totally focussed on his football.
...5 Times - August 29th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Jonny-Red…you are right SWP will not be signing as he re-joined Man City Yesterday! Also all you Keane doubters…give him time! makes me laf how some people want instant results! All the bitter spurs fans also make me laf! you are obviously missing him..you’ve only got one striker..Bent hahaha! How much did you pay for him? hahaha! And going by your weekend performance you need a quality striker QUICK otherwise your 2 losses will soon grow!
ohoi - August 30th, 2008 at 6:05 am
its not that rafa doesnt want to sign any of those but the truth is some players worry bout the transfer even if they had request for it…look at dimi…now playing with the reserve..barry….what a dog…and others seems to be afraid with those speculations that link those players with liverpool….but the TRUTH IS MAN UTD IS A BIG FAT LOSER