Why Liverpool are yet to hold new contract talks with James Milner
Liverpool intend to offer James Milner a contract extension, sources have reiterated to 90min, but dealing with other priorities means talks are yet to get underway.
Milner, who made his Premier League debut as a 16-year-old for Leeds United in 2002, turned 37 in January, but despite his advancing years he remains an important rotation option for a Liverpool side that have struggled for consistency.
Jurgen Klopp has handed Milner 32 appearances in all competitions this season, including three starts in Liverpool's UEFA Champions League campaign - one which ended with a recent two-legged defeat at the hands of holders Real Madrid - but his current Anfield contract is due to expire at the end of the season.
Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been touted as potential departures, but there's been little noise made about the future of Milner, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Manchester City in 2015.
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has always maintained that Milner's 'character' is invaluable for the club, and hinted in mid-January that the Reds plan to keep him on Merseyside beyond the end of his current deal.
"We have different plans for Milly but Milly wants to keep playing. When you see him play the other night I think everyone understands that. You can't judge him normal for his age. He is 37, doesn't look a day like this when he is in training," Klopp said.
Sources have confirmed to 90min that Liverpool do plan to hold talks with Milner and that the player himself is keen to remain at the club. That mutual willingness has seen the club focus on other priority areas, but negotiations will take place in the coming months.
The futures of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are seen to be far more uncertain, while Liverpool are working hard in the background to secure the signing of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund - though they face stiff competition from Manchester City and Real Madrid to get a deal over the line.
Analysis
While Klopp has been full of praise for Milner, it is clear that Liverpool relying on a 37-year-old midfielder to play 30+ games a season is indicative of a real issue at the club.
The Reds are clearly in dire need of some new young talent in the middle of the park - something which the club seem to be aware of due to their pursuit of Jude Bellingham - but they potentially need to offload Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain before Milner is let go, to free up space on the wage bill and potentially bring in transfer funds.
The Fabio Carvalho playing in midfield experiment hasn't really worked and we're yet to really know what Harvey Elliott's best position is, despite some promising performances.
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