Martin O'Neill anticipates interest in James Milner and Ashley Young this summer, but the Aston Villa manager has warned his most talented players that the leading clubs at home and abroad will be unable to guarantee regular first-team football.
Milner is being monitored by Manchester United following a remarkable season that led him to be short-listed for the PFA young player of the year award while Young has also been the subject of transfer speculation in recent weeks. Villa's chances of keeping both players would have been strengthened by a top-four finish but, with these hopes fading fast, interest among Champions League clubs is expected to start to gather momentum.
O'Neill believes Milner and Young could grace the very best sides in Europe but he is also hopeful that when the duo think about their future in the summer, they will take into consideration just how frustrating it would be to play for a club where opportunities are restricted because of competition for places and rotation.
"I wouldn't be surprised that James Milner and Ashley Young would have attracted interest from the best football clubs in the land and possibly one or two in European football as well. I don't think that would surprise anybody," said O'Neill.
"Their games have improved immensely. James Milner has been a revelation. He's just a different player. He's got the energy, the determination and, more importantly than anything, he's got the ability. He looks as if he has played [in central midfield] since he was 16. And I know sometimes [the press] think Ashley Young is maybe not the same as last season but that's not my view. I think he is even better than ever.
"They have served the club brilliantly. I think the club has served them brilliantly as well too. They have had a chance here to play week-in, week-out in the side to get their confidence going, to get their ability going. But they might be in a more rotational business and, just at this minute, that would be something that is a consideration because most players want to play every single week.
"I noticed when I went up to watch Wigan play Manchester United earlier this season and just in front of me were the unstripped players of Manchester United sitting the game out. And it really was eye-opening to see the players sitting perfectly fit to play who would have graced any team, and they're sitting in the stand, about five of them together, not even on the substitutes' bench. That would be the thing.
"[Milner and Young] have done brilliantly and it's not to say that they wouldn't be first choices – I am sure they would be brilliant for any side. But my own view is that I would obviously prefer them to stay here and see if we could finally break [into the top four]."
