Klopp predicts career end for Liverpool midfield star
By David Gate
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has predicted the end of career for one of his midfield stars. He thinks James Milner has a few more years left at least.
Liverpool have a young squad. They only have one player older than thirty years old; vice-captain James Milner. However the boss Jurgen Klopp thinks Milner will play for at least another five years as he praises the versatile midfielder.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference before Liverpool face Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield tomorrow he spoke about Milner’s age:
More from Rush The Kop
- Set to return, Virgil Van Dijk facing heavy criticism back home
- Liverpool making late comebacks all the rage once again
- Wolves tilt gives Klopp opportunity to tinker with lineup following international duty
- Players to watch in the matchup with Wolves
- Predicting Liverpool’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures
“Age is no problem. In all parts of life, at 32 if you are in any company in the world they tell you to wait a few years until you can get a real job. In football it sounds like they are already close to retirement. It’s not too far away but there are players who can play until 36, 37, even 38.”
He clearly believes that Milner’s retirement or withdrawal from the first team is half a decade away. His excellent performances in 2018 indicate that he is still improving at 32-years old. He broke the record last year for assists in a single Champions League campaign. Many felt he was snubbed from the team of the tournament.
Klopp also praised Milner’s natural ability, fitness and sportsman qualities: “For Millie, age is for sure no issue – he is an absolutely naturally skilled boy, he really is such a sports guy; he could probably do each kind of sport he tries, he’d be good in.”
Most fans now think Milner is the best free transfer Liverpool have ever had. His professional approach and consistency have been essential to helping the Reds ever since he arrived in the summer of 2015.
Next. Three clever rotations Klopp can make for Brighton game. dark
He has a great chance of starting against Brighton on Saturday and keeping Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson on the bench. That is testament to the level he is sustaining in the first team.