Manchester City's James Milner considers move to Spain or Italy when contract ends

Milner's contract expires in the close season and at 29 he is conscious that this is his last chance of a major move. He earns around £90,000 a-week on the five-year contract he agreed when moving to City in 2010 from Aston Villa, but there would be a sizeable signing-on fee should Milner decided to depart for a new club.

Although the midfielder has won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup at City, Milner would like to start more regularly under Manuel Pellegrini.

Now in his fifth season at the club, Milner has made a total of 139 appearances in the Premier League of which 84 have been starts. So far in the current league campaign Milner has been started 13 times, less than half of the 28 matches, and has featured 34 times in all competitions.

The manager has repeatedly said there is a firm wish for him to sign a new contract but there is a sense at the Etihad Stadium that Milner may fancy a fresh challenge.

Speaking at the end of last month, Pellegrini said: "All the people at the club who decide if James stays or goes want him to stay. But there are two parts to a contract and James must decide what he wants to do with his future."

A regular selection in Roy Hodgson's England squad Milner is also frustrated at not being played in his favoured central midfield position, the role he drew praise for when playing at Villa and which convinced Roberto Mancini, Pellegrini's predecessor, to take him from the Midlands club in a deal worth around £26m. He is mainly used as an auxiliary winger or forward by Pellegrini.

City are the fourth club of Milner's career, he previously played for Newcastle, Leeds United - where he made his professional debut as a 16-year-old - and Swindon Town on loan, where he played for a month 12 years ago.