by C-R » Sun Mar 29, 2015 12:20 pm
James Milner will quit Manchester City this summer and sign for Liverpool, write Steve Bates and Tom Hopkinson in the Sunday People.
And that could see champions City accelerate a £35million move for another England star – Everton’s Ross Barkley.
England midfielder Milner has made up his mind to call time on his career at the Etihad Stadium for a fresh challenge.
And it’s almost certain he will make the £125,000-a-week switch to Anfield to help plug the gap left by Steven Gerrard’s end-of-season exit to LA Galaxy.
Despite the offer of a new contract several weeks ago – as well as efforts by Blues' manager Manuel Pellegrini and director of football Txiki Begiristain to persuade him to stay – sources close to the star were last night saying he will leave at the end of the campaign.
It will be a blow to City fans who, along with Pablo Zabaleta, rate the popular star as one of their most honest performers.
But it is a bigger set-back to City’s quota of English players.
Having lost Gareth Barry, Micah Richards and Scott Sinclair in the past couple of season’s, City’s stock of English players will be at record low levels once Milner departs.
Milner has been assured by Liverpool he will have chances to play a central midfield role, although he has not been guaranteed exclusive rights to the position.
Kop boss Brendan Rodgers - whose interest in signing Milner was first revealed by the Sunday People last summer – reckons his experience, energy and reputation will be a good influence on his young players as Liverpool move forward after the Gerrard era.
For City, though, it will shape their summer transfer strategy, with England midfielder Barkley sure to be a higher priority once Milner announces he is leaving.