James Milner is completing a medical at Manchester City and Stephen Ireland is at Bodymoor for his.
What needs to be said has been said over and over. Villa is getting £18M. And a midfielder. We're getting the better end of the bargain.
Supposedly.
But yesterday's news of a 24-hour ultimatum gave me hope. I thought maybe, just maybe, it gave City an out, a way to save face. With 54,821 players on their roster, they certainly don't need another clogging the bench. It appears, however, that City are finding a way to finish the deal.
The fire has gone out. I'm no longer angry at James Milner. After Martin O'Neill left, I started to suspect that things weren't quite what they seemed. Maybe Milner never said he wanted to go to City. Maybe he's simply being a decent person, going where the clubs tell him he's being sent.
It's always been my inclination to believe Milner is a footballer with a bit of integrity, and he showed that Saturday. He wasn't pouting about still being with Aston Villa. He hasn't been whining to the press about the horror that was the MON regime. Milner simply wants to know where he's going so he can focus his attention there, rather than waste time worrying about it.
The deal isn't entirely done yet, of course. But we know that it's as good as. Time to pack up the Milner jerseys and order the Albrighton ones.