Villa Favourites in Race to Sign Milner

Villa are the favorites to sign the 22-year-old James Milner from Newcastle, with Liverpool believed to have cooled their interest in the former Leeds winger. With Liverpool now exploring other options, Villa are hopeful a deal can be agreed with Newcastle once Kevin Keegan has added more numbers to his squad.

O'Neill yesterday admitted the need for new signings is "more important than ever", with Gareth Barry's departure to Liverpool all but confirmed. Villa have also lost Carson, Thomas Sorensen, Olof Mellberg and Patrik Berger since the end of last season. Steve Sidwell is expected to be one of the new faces and Villa hope to complete a £4.5m deal with Chelsea for the 25-year-old next week.

O'Neill has defended his decision to work as a pundit for the BBC during the Euro 2008 finals, something that Barry publicly criticized last weekend. "I went out and did some games for the BBC," explained O'Neill. "I was working there for two or three days in the week but then coming back and working here. It was not as if I spent three weeks out in Austria - not that I should have to explain myself to anyone other than one person at this football club [the owner, Randy Lerner]."