Sky Sports pundit Darren Bent has claimed that Marcelo Bielsa would take James Milner at Leeds United next summer when the midfielder’s contract at Liverpool expires.
Milner, 33, could be available on a free transfer next summer unless he signs a new deal at Anfield and that has led to speculation about where he could end up playing next season.
According to Football Insider, the midfielder is willing to take a pay cut in order to re-sign for Leeds in 2020 with his eyes on a potential return to Elland Road.
Ex-England international Bent believes that it would be a fitting end to Milner’s career if he was to return to where it all started.
“When you’ve got somebody who’s had a decorated career like he has, there’s only one place he can return. He was Leeds’ youngest ever goalscorer, they love him down there,” Bent told Football Insider.
“He doesn’t need the money, the money’s out of it, he’s won all the trophies – I almost said bar the Champions League but he’s won that, he’s won everything there is to win. It is fitting for him to go back there and play where it all started and finish his career there.
“He might become captain, he’s obviously going to do a job at a very, very high level, what a story that would be. I’m sure Bielsa would welcome him with open arms. That experience, he keeps himself in great nick, it wouldn’t surprise me if he did return there.”
OPINION
Milner is bound to wait and see how the season pans out before making a decision on returning to Leeds. There is no guarantee that Bielsa’s side will win promotion to the Premier League this season and Milner is definitely a player who is too good to drop down to the Championship, despite his advancing years. Leeds might not be able to afford him if they do not win promotion either. Statistics website Spotrac claims that Milner earns a huge £140,000-a-week on his current deal at Anfield. He would have to take a massive pay cut in order to go down to what the Whites would likely pay him in the Championship. It’s too soon to say for sure about this anyway – it’s only the start of October. Between now and the end of the season a lot can happen and based on Milner’s performance against Leicester on Saturday – when he supplied an assist and scored a late penalty – there’s surely a strong chance that Jurgen Klopp will get him to stay put on Merseyside for at least another season.
