As Manchester City finally clinched a deal for Aston Villa’s James Milner yesterday, the only unexpected element was the timing. The conclusion of the transfer – almost two weeks before the closure of the transfer window – leaves an unfamiliar vacuum for those of us well-versed in the build-up to September 1st. Without the annual saga dragging to its bitter end, Sky Sports News’s sensational coverage of the final day may seem oddly without a centre-piece. Feel pity for whatever ruddy-faced reporter is inevitably posited outside the City of Manchester Stadium all day, for with City’s squad now unfeasibly massive and surely complete, he will be without function as well as charm, a regional accent or acknowledgement as a proper journalist.
Where will deadline day’s big story lie now? The rolling coverage must always have a central spine, an abridged Odyssey of a transfer around which all loan deals and minor £3.5m signings from Ligue Un are woven. There must be at least one lovingly documented saga for Sky’s producers to get their teeth into. A story where every supposed movement of the player in question is reported straight-faced and accompanied by grainy footage of the outsides of mostly glass buildings, luring the viewer into an enhanced state of mind whereby he believes that what he is watching is news. The identity of the protagonist is a mere detail to the producer, for the art of story is as old as language itself; the form must be mastered, turning points and obstacles presented in every scene, lest the eyes of the audience glaze over as they are lost to the unseemly desire to watch something else. In this art, truth and significance are critical only to those naïve souls who want to know what is actually happening.
But who will the leading man be in this summer’s blockbuster? Arsenal fans will squirm uncomfortably at the possibility of the seemingly inexhaustible Cesc Fábregas story rising again, while Liverpool fans may conversely be hoping Barcelona and Internazionale’s reported loss of enthusiasm for Javier Mascherano doesn’t leave them with an unsettled player and a surplus of defensive midfielders. With twelve days still to go, the picture will slowly come into focus as the deadline nears.
As for the transfer itself – Milner has joined Roberto Mancini’s side for a reported £18m plus Stephen Ireland – it’s a remarkable piece of business for Aston Villa, who gain a good player and a big wedge to boot. One year ago it would have been unthinkable for the price to be paid this way round; Ireland had just enjoyed a fantastic Player Of The Year winning season for City, while James Milner had completed a reasonably ordinary campaign on the right side of Villa’s midfield. Since then, however, Milner has excelled in the centre at Villa Park and emerged with credit from England’s dismal World Cup campaign, while Ireland has struggled with injury and failed to make an impression on City’s cautious boss. All parties could end winners if the players are utilised to maximise their potential.
Milner's signing spared us all... for now
