Why it is time to say goodbye to James Milner

Last season James Milner was our star man, but I really think it is time to cash the annual Man City summer cheque. A move that I believe would benefit Villa a lot more than James. Before I say why I should make it clear that the price has to be either £30million or £20million plus a player; Stephen Ireland or Craig Bellamy will do fine.

So why do I feel this is right for Aston Villa? Firstly, I actually don’t believe James Milner offers us enough in central midfield as he hasn’t got the range of passing for that role. He is in my opinion most effective on the right wing as he showed for England.

Yet we have two class wingers in Ashley Young and Stuart Downing as well as the very promising Marc Albrighton.

Secondly, I suspect that this year Milner will suffer from playing almost two years none stop football. He and Heskey were the only two players from Villa involved in the World Cup so the other players should all be fresh.

Thirdly, I think his head has been turned and already he is thinking of moving to a club that he believes is currently bigger than Villa. Do you want a play that can have his head turned so easily>

My final reason is simply that Villa need the money. I don’t think the team needs major surgery and would actually love to see the bench next season not full of journeymen, but with seven of our very promising youngsters. We probably just need to buy a centre midfield player who can really pass and dictate games (a modern day ‘Sid’) and another quality forward.

The midfield player that I think fits the bill and would be available if you offered enough is Scott Parker. Parker with either Ireland or Petrov (or a fit again Delph) alongside him and I think we would have a better midfield than last season.

Then up front, if Bellamy wasn’t part of deal, I would be looking at Doyle from Wolves who I thought was excellent against us last year.

With the sales of Davies, Sidwell, Reo Coker, Osbourne, Salifou, Harewood, Shorey and possibly Carew, we should raise well over £15million and after expenses it is more than possible we could be looking at a profit of over £20million this summer and I think that is something the Villa are badly in need of.

It is time the Villa finally made use of their investment in youth and gave the youngsters the chance to show if they really are the future.