Milner Yes, Baros No

Press reports are saying that Villa will be able to secure the permanent signing of on-loan winger James Milner from Newcastle United as David O’Leary says:

‘I’ve been told by the chairman we can hopefully secure the signing of James Milner. There’s £1.5m in the pot from the Nolberto Solano deal and we can put that money towards buying Milner.’

I’d not get too excited by what Doug Ellis says if I was the manager, he might have said it one day, but the next day the goalposts are bound to be moved. Ellis is a menace and is getting worse as he has told O’Leary he will have to sell before he can buy in the summer.

With that in mind O’Leary is insistent that he doesn’t want to have to sell Milan Baros but lets face it, if an offer comes in, the Czech striker will be out the door quicker than something that can get our of doors really really quickly!

O’Leary said: ‘We could get loads of money for Baros if we were prepared to sell. I don’t want the lad to go. I have a really good relationship with him and I know he wants to do really well in the World Cup. I do not know what the future holds. I may have to sell three players whereas the sale of one top player could raise more money in one deal than all the others put together.’ Adding: ‘Baros is our most expensive player and after the World Cup you could get an offer for £15million, but I’ve no idea where that sort of offer would come from.

He also says that Baros had no problems being substituted the other night against Manchester City despite walking straight to the dressing room. Our top scorer will return to his former club Liverpool today and will start.