James Milner’s return to form this season has been remarkable to behold. On so many occasions, the English midfielder has proven to be either a whipping boy, a scapegoat, or the butt of the joke. This year, however, he’s Manchester City’s driving force. He’s the man that’s helped to keep his club within touching distance of the current League leaders, Chelsea.
Is it any coincidence that these top drawer performances are happening within the last year of his current City contract? Could it be that the 29-year-old midfielder is looking to catch the eye of a few of his suitors? Perhaps Milner is hoping that his next club will be willing to offer him a bumper new salary package.
You’d have to think that there are clubs out there who would be willing to spend big on James Milner, particularly given his current form and his contractual situation. They won’t have to pay any transfer fee, so they can afford to offer him a large weekly wage. In many ways, this is a good position for a 29-year-old to be in. He’s now in complete control of his future.
This brings me to The Metro‘s claim that James Milner is already in the process of considering offers from top clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool. On first glance, these stories seem too bizarre to be true. Can you really picture James Milner in an Arsenal shirt, stroking the ball about alongside footballers like Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil?
It would be a rather un-Arsene Wenger like signing. Still, this doesn’t mean that such a deal would be completely out of the question. Maybe Milner is exactly what Arsenal need?
The Gunners have too many players who don’t track back, who don’t tackle and who don’t make runs. They have too many technically minded footballers who expect other individuals to do the work. James Milner, on the other hand, is a diligent presence who’s always willing to put in a shift. He also happens to be a dynamic presence on the ball. He’s a better all-rounder than most people are willing to let on.
So yes, it’s difficult to picture James Milner strutting his stuff around The Emirates. Were this move to come to pass, however, I certainly wouldn’t complain.
What’s your take? Would signing James Milner be a good move for Arsenal?
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