James Milner discussed his upcoming exit from Liverpool after playing at Anfield for the final time in a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. Milner was substituted on for captain Jordan Henderson with 20 minutes to play and helped his side steal a late point. Milner revealed that manager Jurgen Klopp wanted him to stay, but the football club ultimately took the decision out of his hands. He said, “I think it’d be a shame to stop when you’ve still got a bit of life in you. Jurgen Klopp’s a pretty good manager, so that he wanted me to stay is pleasing. I haven’t started a load of games this year, but I feel I’ve contributed. I still feel like I can come on and make an impact.” Milner’s departure was only confirmed a few days before the Aston Villa clash and he was offered a coaching role to join Klopp’s backroom staff earlier this season.
Milner’s next destination is yet to be confirmed, with speculation linking him to Brighton in the summer. He stopped short of disclosing any information regarding his future but did suggest that he could find himself back at Anfield one day. Fans got the opportunity to say goodbye to a genuine club legend, who will be sorely missed both on and off the pitch when he departs at the end of the season.
