Danny Mills has urged Liverpool to offer midfielder James Milner a new contract to secure his Anfield future.
The Sky Sports pundit was in awe of the Premier League veteran and was left questioning why any club wouldn’t want to have Milner available to them.
Mills believes it would be a no-brainer to keep ahold of the 33-year-old beyond this season as he will act as the perfect role model to the Reds’ younger players.
Speaking to Football Insider, the former England international compared the influential midfielder to the ex-Manchester City enforcer Vincent Kompany, and the effect he had on the Premier League champions last season.
“Without a shadow of a doubt,” he responded when asked if Milner deserves a new deal.
“Look at the influence Vincent Kompany had at Manchester City and they’ve now lost that.”
“Milner gives you quality, can play in every single position, probably the fittest man at the football club, that dedication that he’s got, that attitude, he’ll pass it on to the young players as well. He’s a great example for the manager to say: ‘This is what you need to be doing.”
“Why would you not want to keep a player of that calibre around, even if it’s in a capacity where he’s not going to play much. If he’s happy to stay there I would sign him up immediately.”
OPINION
The determination and grit that Milner possesses in the heart of midfield are enough to persuade Liverpool to offer him a new deal alone. High levels of experience are vital in the middle of any dressing room and the 33-year-old holds buckets of that, having made over 500 Premier League appearances. Milner is an influential figure on and off the pitch at Anfield, and Jurgen Klopp will surely be eager to secure his future without being urged by Mills. The former Leeds midfielder will play a massive role in Liverpool’s quest to earn their first-ever Premier League title, and his reward for that could be a new deal at the club. Despite only playing 115 minutes of top-flight football so far this season, Milner started the Champions League clash with Napoli and is still very much part of the plans for the Reds. Klopp is very happy with his squad, as proven in the summer as he decided not to strengthen his side in the transfer window, and Milner should be very much part of that this and next season.
