Roma in £10m Manchester City raid for James Milner

Italian giants AS Roma are plotting a £10m bid for England and Manchester City star James Milner.

TARGET: Roma have apparently been keeping tabs on James Milner for some time

The Serie A outfit have been keeping close tabs on the winger and are expected to make their move in the next transfer window.

The news will put pressure on the champions to agree a new deal with Milner and secure his long-term future.

Milner is out of contract at the end of this season and will be free to talk to other clubs in January.

He revealed earlier this week that club boss have opened talks with his representatives about an extension to his current deal, but no agreement is close.

With interest from abroad, Milner could now decide to wait and see what options he has on the table before pledging his future to Manuel Pellegrini's men.

Milner has helped City win two league titles and both the FA and League Cups since joining them from Aston Villa in 2008 for £28m.

Earlier this season he insisted he would wait to see how much first team action he was getting before making a decision on his future.

He is known to favour a move abroad and knows, at 28, he is running out of time to experience life on the continent.

But he has figured in Pellegrini's starting XI in recent weeks and the Chilean is keen to keep him at the Etihad Stadium.

Now news that Champions League Group E rivals Roma are preparing a bid might speed up talks if the big-spenders want to keep him in Manchester.

Meanwhile City goalkeeper Willy Caballero has been caught up in the match-fixing investigation rocking Spanish football.

A total of 13 La Liga games are being investigated by the Spanish authorities, including last season's clash between Malaga and Elche that Caballero played in.

There is no suggestion Caballero is under suspicion and the keeper is even reported to have alerted the Spanish League to possible attempts to rig the game.

Caballero joined City in the summer from Malaga and is currently challenging Joe Hart to become Pellegrini's No.1 at the big-spenders.