This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
James Milner has been a great servant for Liverpool but his contract shouldn’t be renewed when it expires at the end of the season.
The 33-year-old played very well against Leicester on Saturday and showed terrific composure to slot in a last-gasp penalty to ensure his team made it eight wins out of eight in the Premier League.
His display led Jurgen Klopp to describe him as unique and “exceptional”, and his experience is likely a big influence on the rest of the team, but this season there are signs that he is beginning to falter.
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For that reason, and considering his wage of £140,000 a week, some fans believe the club should decide against renewing his deal, and there are a few factors which support their assessment.
Firstly, his performances have tailed off in comparison to last season and that was best evidenced against Napoli, a game which suggests he is beginning to struggle at the highest level.
He failed to make an interception in that clash and achieved a pass accuracy of only 78%, which is a lot lower than his 85% pass accuracy in the last campaign.
That hints that the speed of the game may be starting to get away from him, and with younger, hungrier alternatives in the Reds squad, Klopp should decide to freshen things up.
Liverpool currently have seven senior central midfielders in the squad, but one who is currently on loan – Marko Grujic – could be a suitable long-term successor to the former Man City player.
Grujic has performed well at Hertha Berlin in his second stint there in as many years. He has two goals from seven league games but his ability to take the ball past defenders could make him a better option than Milner, with an average of 1.7 successful dribbles this term.
Added to that, he has been praised for his mental attributes, too, being described by one journalist as “clever, patient, and precise on the ball”, and that is exactly what Klopp needs from his players when trying to break down defensive teams.
If he can continue to progress as he has done for the rest of his time in Germany then he could earn a role in the Reds squad next season, a development which would please fans and should signal the end of Milner’s time on Anfield.