Former England international Paul Robinson has called on Liverpool to sort out a new contract for veteran midfielder James Milner.
The 33-year-old’s contract is currently due to expire at the end of the season, but Sky Sports pundit Robinson believes that a fresh deal will be sorted out soon.
“He’s a real asset for any manager,” he told Football Insider. “It shows how old I am, I played in James Milner’s first game, when he became the youngest player to feature for Leeds. And he is as dedicated now as he was then.”
“It’s been said before that James Milner is the most dedicated, hard-working, professional footballer than you’ll ever meet, and that shows why he is still able to do what he does at his age. And I genuinely think the contract will be sorted out at Liverpool as to have a player like him in the dressing room and at your disposal, is a real asset.”
OPINION
It’s hard to disagree with Robinson, here. The only way that you can really see Milner leaving Liverpool is if his hometown club Leeds United secure promotion back to the Premier League. In that case Milner may well decide that he wants to (likely) win a Premier League title with the Reds and then seal an emotional return to Elland Road. For Liverpool that would be a blow, as much because of the Englishman’s versatility as anything else. We know that Milner is going to remain super, super fit even as he continues to march inexorably though his thirties, so there’s no real issue in giving him a two year deal to stop him leaving at the end of this campaign. Indeed, Robinson feels that, due to all the qualities of the veteran player, Jurgen Klopp and co. will ensure that they get a fresh deal sorted out soon. That may be the case or it may not, but Liverpool would be a worse squad without Milner, there’s no doubt about that.
