Here's a story that'll make Liverpool fans wonder what might have been. Jurgen Klopp desperately wanted to keep James Milner at Anfield in 2023, but the club said no. Just six months later, Klopp himself would announce he was leaving.
The timing is pretty remarkable when you think about it. Milner had been one of Klopp's most trusted soldiers for eight years. Together they won the Premier League and Champions League, plus four other major trophies.
But by his final season, Milner was only starting seven league games. His legs weren't quite what they used to be. Still, Klopp valued him so much that he lobbied Liverpool's hierarchy to extend his contract beyond summer 2023.
The answer? No. Milner left for Brighton as a free agent that summer.
Klopp Called Milner 'The Role Model'
Klopp didn't hide his feelings about losing Milner. He called him "the role model" - not just a role model, but THE role model. That's high praise from one of football's most demanding managers.
"His exceptional attitude, really," Klopp said. "He puts himself in place to be every day 100% ready. Absolutely outstanding."
There was one funny caveat though. Klopp admitted Milner could be challenging when he wasn't in the starting lineup. "I never saw a bigger mood change in an instant!" he laughed. But because Milner played so much, it wasn't often a problem.
Milner himself confirmed the situation later. "The manager wanted to keep me - which as a player is what you want," he said. "Obviously the club decided a different way."
What Happened Next Changes Everything
Fast forward six months and Klopp drops his bombshell announcement in January 2024. He's leaving Liverpool at the end of the season. The reason? Lack of energy after nearly nine years in charge.
Two years on, Klopp isn't managing anymore - he's now head of soccer at Red Bull. Meanwhile, Milner is still going strong at age 40. On Wednesday, he equalled Gareth Barry's all-time Premier League appearance record of 653 games.
And here's the kicker: Milner could break that record at Anfield this Saturday when Brighton face Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round. For punters looking at Brighton's odds, having a 40-year-old veteran who knows Anfield inside-out could be a small edge in what will be an emotional occasion.
You have to wonder if Liverpool's decision to let Milner go was one of several factors that wore Klopp down. Losing control over keeping his trusted veterans might have been more significant than anyone realized at the time.
