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[SIZE="4"]Aston Villa's James Milner ready to sign for Manchester City[/SIZE]
• Ireland likely to move in opposite direction in £26m deal
• But Irish midfielder still to agree settlement with City

Stuart James guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 10 August 2010 22.31 BST Article history

James Milner joined Aston Villa for £12m from Newcastle United two years ago. Photograph: Steven Paston/Action Images

James Milner's protracted transfer from Aston Villa to Manchester City is finally set to go through on Thursday after the two clubs agreed a package worth about £26m.

Stephen Ireland – whose agent today held talks with the Villa chief executive, Paul Faulkner – will sign for Villa as part of the deal, providing he reaches a settlement with City over the remainder of his contract. Discussions will take place between Ireland's representative and City's hierarchy tomorrow morning.

Ireland has been valued at £10m, meaning that Villa will receive a further £16m in cash in addition to the former Republic of Ireland midfielder. Should Ireland pull out of the transfer – there is no indication that is likely to happen at the moment despite Martin O'Neill's resignation yesterday – Milner will move to Eastlands in a straight cash deal. Both players have been pencilled in for medicals at their respective new clubs on Thursday and could make their debuts at the weekend.

The latest development will come as a relief to all parties involved. The Guardian revealed City's interest in Milner almost four months ago but negotiations between the two clubs have dragged on. City tabled a £20m bid in May that was flatly rejected, with Villa holding out for closer to £30m for a player who cost £12m two years ago. In the end Villa agreed to lower their demands although many of the club's supporters will feel pleased by the final outcome.

Ireland's inclusion as a makeweight in the transfer was thrown into doubt when O'Neill unexpectedly quit, but the talks that had been agreed before that development went ahead as planned. The 23-year-old, who was voted City's player of the year at the end of the 2008-09 season, appears to have accepted that he has no future with Roberto Mancini in charge. Having signed a lucrative five-year contract with City little more than 12 months ago, he will hope to negotiate a sizeable settlement.

But he gets the best out of his players. Which is why he is the perfect choice for the England job. If only the FA weren't too pussy to sack Capello.

Since the Ivory Coast v Italy game was held at Upton Park, ergo Balotelli is in the UK, it might have made sense to get the deal tied up so it would have been a quick drive up north for a medical.

But as I said, that would have made sense.

What's this about a 'settlement' with Ireland? Surely if we sell him that's it - he'll get a signing on fee from Villa - why do we have to pay up some of his contract, it's not like we're releasing him on a free.

But he gets the best out of his players. Which is why he is the perfect choice for the England job. If only the FA weren't too pussy to sack Capello.

But they don't - everybody seems to hate him.

don't make me laugh, his idea of man motivation is publicly slagging his players off to the press (david bentley is the most recent obvious example) then freezing them out in the reserves when he's bored of them

What's this about a 'settlement' with Ireland? Surely if we sell him that's it - he'll get a signing on fee from Villa - why do we have to pay up some of his contract, it's not like we're releasing him on a free.

I'm guessing because there's a certain amount of time left on his contract? Like a compensation fee?

The exact smae thing happened when we sold Dunney. Maybe if a club sells a player rather than the player asking for a move they get compo. There's also the very real chance that Ireland would have to take a pay cut to move.

City have to be careful that they don't chuck the baby out with the bath water, with the likes of Ireland and Nedum going on loan to the mackems. Doesn't help us when you look at the new squad rules, plus it sends out a pretty negative message to the lads in the academy.This season there's a very real chance that we'll start the campaign with no ex-academy players in the starting 11. First time that would have happened for a very long time.

The exact smae thing happened when we sold Dunney. Maybe if a club sells a player rather than the player asking for a move they get compo. There's also the very real chance that Ireland would have to take a pay cut to move.

City have to be careful that they don't chuck the baby out with the bath water, with the likes of Ireland and Nedum going on loan to the mackems. Doesn't help us when you look at the new squad rules, plus it sends out a pretty negative message to the lads in the academy.
This season there's a very real chance that we'll start the campaign with no ex-academy players in the starting 11. First time that would have happened for a very long time.

The exact smae thing happened when we sold Dunney. Maybe if a club sells a player rather than the player asking for a move they get compo. There's also the very real chance that Ireland would have to take a pay cut to move.

City have to be careful that they don't chuck the baby out with the bath water, with the likes of Ireland and Nedum going on loan to the mackems. Doesn't help us when you look at the new squad rules, plus it sends out a pretty negative message to the lads in the academy.
This season there's a very real chance that we'll start the campaign with no ex-academy players in the starting 11. First time that would have happened for a very long time.

don't make me laugh, his idea of man motivation is publicly slagging his players off to the press (david bentley is the most recent obvious example) then freezing them out in the reserves when he's bored of them

Balotelli could stay
By Soccernet staff

August 11, 2010
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Manchester City target Mario Balotelli has refused to rule out a stay at Inter.


GettyImages

Mario Balotelli made his senior Italy debut on Tuesday

Balotelli, who turns 20 on Thursday, has long been expected to complete a move to Manchester City, and Roberto Mancini had said he hoped to complete the signing this week.

Inter are also understood to be eager for the sale to go through as president Massimo Moratti has said they need to raise money to fund any bid for Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano.

Asked about his future after making his Italy debut against Ivory Coast on Tuesday, Balotelli told Sky Sport Italia 24: "I already know where I'm going, but I don't want to say. I know what will happen, but I won't necessarily leave."
Balotelli was included in Inter's 32-man European Super Cup squad on Tuesday, sparking speculation that the move could be off, although the squad can be changed up to 24 hours before kick-off. Inter face Atletico Madrid on August 27.


What the fucking hell does that mean???

Just fuck off Mario you fucking wop retard.

if they're looking to reduce the wage bill, taking ireland on his city wages is not the way to do it...

Mario Balotelli is finally set to complete his move to Manchester City, with the player's agent stating the deal could be completed on Friday.

Balotelli has been on City's radar all summer, but it looked as though the deal may have stalled earlier this week when they striker said he could yet stay at Inter Milan.

But after talks between the two clubs on Thursday progress has been made in the negotiations and he now looks set to move to the Premier League in a deal worth close to £30 million in total.

Agent Mino Raiola told Sky Italia: "Today, there was a step forwards, I can confirm that. So I am very confident about closing the deal soon but it doesn't just depend on me.

"Will he play on Saturday against Tottenham? Look, at this point I would say no. Even if we close the deal tomorrow he wouldn't be able to do it, because of all the paperwork. Then the English laws impose details that would exclude his presence as early as Saturday.

"I am very optimistic, but today the deal is not already done. We haven't decided yet if Mario will go to England tomorrow, we need to think about that, but we haven't established that.''

Balotelli's debut is more likely to come against Liverpool on August 23.

"I don't know if he will be there,'' continued Raiola. "For me it would be perfect, but it doesn't just depend on me. Nothing is yet sealed so I can't guarantee that. Our aim is to close everything as soon as possible, we hope to be able to resolve the factors soon.''

Raiola, who revealed that the main problems centred around the bonuses the player would receive, added that they were always working with the end goal in sight. He said: "If Mario already knew about important steps he should predict the lottery numbers.

"He knows that his first aim is Manchester City, we are working for that aim, because it's his choice. Was the deal ever in danger of being called off? I never think of problems, I believe that by working with good intentions you can always bring home results which satisfy all the parties.''